Graduation season is almost upon us, and as you’re getting ready to close out one chapter with your grad and begin a new one, it’s a good time to start thinking about a gift to congratulate them on their incredible accomplishments. Whether you know a student finishing high school or college, these gift ideas will carry them from one journey to the next. See our graduation gift guide below.
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1. Noise-cancelling headphones will help block out loud roommates, chatty coworkers, or anything else that distracts them from getting *ish* done.
2. A wireless charging station for all of their techy gadgets will be the gift they use time and time again. Why does everything always need to be charged?!
3. Jewelry is a sentimental way to celebrate the grad. This compass necklace or bracelet will serve as a reminder to follow their own path.
4. A book of lessons, wise words, and funny anecdotes will inspire, instill joy, and provide a little motivation.
5. This inspirational makeup bag, filled with all her favorites and maybe a gift card or two, would make a great gift!
6. A weighted blanket will keep them warm, help reduce anxiety, and replicate a warm hug from mom when she’s miles away.
7. The tassel was worth the hassle! These funny socks would make the perfect addition to a DIY graduation gift basket.
8. And if they’re a coffee lover, this mug is another basket filler that will get tons of use.
9. A tool kit is a must!! This is one of those gifts that they don’t know they want but will be grateful they have when they’re in a pinch.
10. This phone wallet is super convenient. Pop it on the back of your phone, tuck your cards and cash in, and boom…out the door you go.
11. This themed gift box comes with an “adult merit badge” coffee mug, 400 different fun facts, and a motivational book—a little bit of everything!
12. A 3-piece luggage set will get a bunch of mileage. While they make think it will be for all of their exotic adventures, their broke selves will really be using it for all their trips back home so they can do laundry for free.
13. Who doesn’t love a sweet treat?? This tin of delicious cookies will be gone in the blink of an eye, but the sugar high will keep them going for hours.
Shop Graduation Gifts
The big game day is almost here! Super Bowl Sunday is the epitome of sports celebrations, and we’ll take any excuse to have a party. Whether you’re hosting or attending a Super Bowl soirée, there are a few essentials you need to prepare: 1) an adorable, football-themed outfit 2) game day decor and 3) some delicious snacks to devour. See our Super Bowl essentials below.
Get your game day gear! If you don’t want to rock a team jersey, you can still show your spirit in a chic way. These adorable tops and accessories look great with jeans, a skirt, leggings, or sweats, so you can tailor your outfit for any occasion!
Shop Game Day Gear
Bring the football fun beyond the game with this themed decor! From wall hangings to table accessories, these essentials are sure to score at your Super Bowl party and elevate your game day experience.
Shop Game Day Decor
BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
This buffalo chicken dip is our absolute favorite!! It’s creamy and delicious and hits the spot every time.
Ingredients:
- 1 package chicken breasts
- Chicken broth
- Shredded cheese
- Ranch dressing
- Cream cheese
- Mild wing sauce
Directions:
- Cook chicken in slow cooker with chicken broth (I use about a cup and a half or until chicken is covered) until fully cooked – shredding chicken as it cooks.
- Once chicken is cooked – pour a bottle of wing sauce over chicken and let it marinate overnight.
- Preheat oven at 350° (take chicken and cream cheese out of fridge and let sit to room temperature)
- Evenly spread cream cheese on bottom of oven safe casserole dish, top with buffalo chicken, then full package of shredded cheese (we love cheese), and full bottle of ranch dressing.
- Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Enjoy with your favorite chips or veggies!
HONEY BBQ MEATBALLS
These little meatballs are a little sweet, a little tangy, and a whole lotta yummy!
Ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen meatballs
- Honey BBQ sauce
Directions:
- Bake meatballs at 350° for about 20 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes (about 12 meatballs)
- Cover meatballs with BBQ sauce and serve
*For a heartier snack, add meatballs to rolls topped with provolone cheese!!
SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP WITH PAPRIKA PITA CHIPS
This spinach and artichoke dip with pita chips is *chef’s kiss* – even the picky eaters will love!
Ingredients:
*double the recipe if you’re feeding a big crowd
- (1) 10oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and well drained)
- 6 pieces of bacon (crumbled once cooked)
- 2 tsp of minced garlic
- (1) 14oz can of artichoke hearts
- 16oz container of light dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Bag of pita bread
- Paprika (or smoked paprika)
Directions:
- Preheat oven at 350° – cut pita bread into triangles and set on foil lined baking tray – spray with pam spray and season with paprika. Cook for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Cook bacon (I used 6 slices) and set aside to cool (reserve 1 tbsp of bacon grease) add garlic and sauté until browned, add spinach, artichokes to pan until warm. Then add sour cream, Mayo, and pepper until warm throughout. Crumble bacon into small pieces and fold into spinach mix.
- Serve with baked pita chips and enjoy!!
The big game day is almost here! Super Bowl Sunday is the epitome of sports celebrations, and we’ll take any excuse to have a party. Whether you’re hosting or attending a Super Bowl soirée, there are a few essentials you need to prepare: 1) an adorable, football-themed outfit 2) game day decor and 3) some delicious snacks to devour. See our Super Bowl essentials below.
Get your game day gear! If you don’t want to rock a team jersey, you can still show your spirit in a chic way. These adorable tops and accessories look great with jeans, a skirt, leggings, or sweats, so you can tailor your outfit for any occasion!
Shop Game Day Gear
Bring the football fun beyond the game with this themed decor! From wall hangings to table accessories, these essentials are sure to score at your Super Bowl party and elevate your game day experience.
Shop Game Day Decor
BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
This buffalo chicken dip is our absolute favorite!! It’s creamy and delicious and hits the spot every time.
Ingredients:
- 1 package chicken breasts
- Chicken broth
- Shredded cheese
- Ranch dressing
- Cream cheese
- Mild wing sauce
Directions:
- Cook chicken in slow cooker with chicken broth (I use about a cup and a half or until chicken is covered) until fully cooked – shredding chicken as it cooks.
- Once chicken is cooked – pour a bottle of wing sauce over chicken and let it marinate overnight.
- Preheat oven at 350° (take chicken and cream cheese out of fridge and let sit to room temperature)
- Evenly spread cream cheese on bottom of oven safe casserole dish, top with buffalo chicken, then full package of shredded cheese (we love cheese), and full bottle of ranch dressing.
- Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Enjoy with your favorite chips or veggies!
HONEY BBQ MEATBALLS
These little meatballs are a little sweet, a little tangy, and a whole lotta yummy!
Ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen meatballs
- Honey BBQ sauce
Directions:
- Bake meatballs at 350° for about 20 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes (about 12 meatballs)
- Cover meatballs with BBQ sauce and serve
*For a heartier snack, add meatballs to rolls topped with provolone cheese!!
SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP WITH PAPRIKA PITA CHIPS
This spinach and artichoke dip with pita chips is *chef’s kiss* – even the picky eaters will love!
Ingredients:
*double the recipe if you’re feeding a big crowd
- (1) 10oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and well drained)
- 6 pieces of bacon (crumbled once cooked)
- 2 tsp of minced garlic
- (1) 14oz can of artichoke hearts
- 16oz container of light dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Bag of pita bread
- Paprika (or smoked paprika)
Directions:
- Preheat oven at 350° – cut pita bread into triangles and set on foil lined baking tray – spray with pam spray and season with paprika. Cook for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Cook bacon (I used 6 slices) and set aside to cool (reserve 1 tbsp of bacon grease) add garlic and sauté until browned, add spinach, artichokes to pan until warm. Then add sour cream, Mayo, and pepper until warm throughout. Crumble bacon into small pieces and fold into spinach mix.
- Serve with baked pita chips and enjoy!!
The big game day is almost here! Super Bowl Sunday is the epitome of sports celebrations, and we’ll take any excuse to have a party. Whether you’re hosting or attending a Super Bowl soirée, there are a few essentials you need to prepare: 1) an adorable, football-themed outfit 2) game day decor and 3) some delicious snacks to devour. See our Super Bowl essentials below.
Get your game day gear! If you don’t want to rock a team jersey, you can still show your spirit in a chic way. These adorable tops and accessories look great with jeans, a skirt, leggings, or sweats, so you can tailor your outfit for any occasion!
Shop Game Day Gear
Bring the football fun beyond the game with this themed decor! From wall hangings to table accessories, these essentials are sure to score at your Super Bowl party and elevate your game day experience.
Shop Game Day Decor
BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
This buffalo chicken dip is our absolute favorite!! It’s creamy and delicious and hits the spot every time.
Ingredients:
- 1 package chicken breasts
- Chicken broth
- Shredded cheese
- Ranch dressing
- Cream cheese
- Mild wing sauce
Directions:
- Cook chicken in slow cooker with chicken broth (I use about a cup and a half or until chicken is covered) until fully cooked – shredding chicken as it cooks.
- Once chicken is cooked – pour a bottle of wing sauce over chicken and let it marinate overnight.
- Preheat oven at 350° (take chicken and cream cheese out of fridge and let sit to room temperature)
- Evenly spread cream cheese on bottom of oven safe casserole dish, top with buffalo chicken, then full package of shredded cheese (we love cheese), and full bottle of ranch dressing.
- Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Enjoy with your favorite chips or veggies!
HONEY BBQ MEATBALLS
These little meatballs are a little sweet, a little tangy, and a whole lotta yummy!
Ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen meatballs
- Honey BBQ sauce
Directions:
- Bake meatballs at 350° for about 20 minutes or microwave for 2 minutes (about 12 meatballs)
- Cover meatballs with BBQ sauce and serve
*For a heartier snack, add meatballs to rolls topped with provolone cheese!!
SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP WITH PAPRIKA PITA CHIPS
This spinach and artichoke dip with pita chips is *chef’s kiss* – even the picky eaters will love!
Ingredients:
*double the recipe if you’re feeding a big crowd
- (1) 10oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and well drained)
- 6 pieces of bacon (crumbled once cooked)
- 2 tsp of minced garlic
- (1) 14oz can of artichoke hearts
- 16oz container of light dairy sour cream
- 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Bag of pita bread
- Paprika (or smoked paprika)
Directions:
- Preheat oven at 350° – cut pita bread into triangles and set on foil lined baking tray – spray with pam spray and season with paprika. Cook for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Cook bacon (I used 6 slices) and set aside to cool (reserve 1 tbsp of bacon grease) add garlic and sauté until browned, add spinach, artichokes to pan until warm. Then add sour cream, Mayo, and pepper until warm throughout. Crumble bacon into small pieces and fold into spinach mix.
- Serve with baked pita chips and enjoy!!
A new year means a new Pantone Color of the Year! This program, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, highlights a Pantone color that speaks to the trending moods of the year – what we as a society want to accomplish, cultivate, and celebrate. The 2024 Pantone Color of the Year is Peach Fuzz: a soft, gentle, and warm hue that nurtures the body, mind, and spirit. It is light and radiant, modern and effortless. Bring some of this inspiring yet comforting shade into your life with a few pops of color in your home, wardrobe, or beauty routine! See our Pantone Color of the Year ideas below.
For the Home
Add subtle touches to your home with carefully curated decor. A sweet-smelling candle, a snuggly throw pillow, or an eye-catching piece of artwork are great ways to incorporate a little Peach Fuzz into your sacred space.
Shop Pantone 2024 Home
Apparel & Accessories
Dress to impress with Peach Fuzz! Whether you want a fashion-forward statement piece, a fun accessory, or some cozy clothing, adding this hue to your wardrobe is effortlessly chic.
Shop Pantone 2024 Apparel
Beauty & Makeup
Pretty yourself up with peachy shades for your sweet face. Bring a touch of Peach Fuzz to your lips, cheeks, or eyes and rock your beauty routine in 2024.
Shop Pantone 2024 Beauty
A new year means a new Pantone Color of the Year! This program, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, highlights a Pantone color that speaks to the trending moods of the year – what we as a society want to accomplish, cultivate, and celebrate. The 2024 Pantone Color of the Year is Peach Fuzz: a soft, gentle, and warm hue that nurtures the body, mind, and spirit. It is light and radiant, modern and effortless. Bring some of this inspiring yet comforting shade into your life with a few pops of color in your home, wardrobe, or beauty routine! See our Pantone Color of the Year ideas below.
For the Home
Add subtle touches to your home with carefully curated decor. A sweet-smelling candle, a snuggly throw pillow, or an eye-catching piece of artwork are great ways to incorporate a little Peach Fuzz into your sacred space.
Shop Pantone 2024 Home
Apparel & Accessories
Dress to impress with Peach Fuzz! Whether you want a fashion-forward statement piece, a fun accessory, or some cozy clothing, adding this hue to your wardrobe is effortlessly chic.
Shop Pantone 2024 Apparel
Beauty & Makeup
Pretty yourself up with peachy shades for your sweet face. Bring a touch of Peach Fuzz to your lips, cheeks, or eyes and rock your beauty routine in 2024.
Shop Pantone 2024 Beauty
As we get ready to say goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024, we’re looking back on a year full of great deals, fun posts, and trending products! We’re reminiscing on the top items sold, our favorite retailers, and some of the social media and blog posts that this community loved the most! Cheers to another fabulous year, and here’s to the next one – see our 2023 year in review below.
Top 3 Amazon Items
AirHeads | Phone Chargers | Hot Wheels Car
Ah, Amazon. The retailer our dreams are made of. Simply think up an item, type it into the Amazon search bar, add it to your cart, and *boom* it’ll be at your door quicker than you can say “did I really need that??” With the thousands and thousands and thousands of items Amazon has, our top 3 were an eclectic mix!! We were loving this AirHeads variety box, this 3-pack of phone chargers (of course), and this Hot Wheels RC car!
Top 3 Walmart Items
Cookware Set | Shark Vacuum | Outdoor Set
We were all about upgrading the home with Walmart this year! This Carote cookware set, this Shark vacuum, and this 8-piece outdoor set were the top sellers!
Top 3 Target Items
Gift Card | Squishmallow | Target Cart
We obviously had playtime on the mind with Target in 2023! Our top three items sold were this Roblox gift card, a Bluey Squishmallow, and the iconic Target cart toy!!
Top 3 Items from Other Retailers
Lululemon Belt Bag | Hey Dude Shoes | Stanley Tumbler
And we clearly all have great style, and love being on-trend, because our top 3 items from other retailers were the famous Lululemon belt bag, Hey Dude shoes, and Stanley tumbler. Three cheers for great taste, Frugal and Thrivers!!
Top 3 Other Retailers
It’s no secret we love Amazon, Walmart, and Target…I mean, can you really blame us though?! These three retailers also brought some fierce competition this year, and with good reason! The top 3 retailers after our big three were:
Top 3 Blog Posts
We wrote, you read! In 2023, we wanted to celebrate, take beach/lake trips with ease, and shop ’til we drop. These were the top three blog posts this year!!
Browse all of our blog posts here!!
Top 3 LTK Posts
LTK – Like to Know It!! The one-stop shop for all things shopping. Check out trending styles in home, fashion, and more, all from your favorite creators (aka, US!!). If you’re unfamiliar with LTK, you might want to hop on this train now. This easy-to-use, addictive app lets you buy items from your favorite influencers with just the click of a button! These were the top posts from the Frugal and Thriving LTK shop in 2023:
Top 3 Facebook Posts
Facebook is where it all began for Frugal and Thriving, and this platform definitely holds a special place in our hearts – and yours, too, it seems! This is where you can find all of the best up-to-date deals, some fun snapshots from F&T everyday life, and a recap of posts from our other platforms! If you aren’t a part of our Facebook group yet, join in on the action here!! These were the top three posts on Facebook this year:
There you have it! A quick little review of the best of the best in all things Frugal & Thriving in 2023. To all of our new followers, welcome!! We’re so happy to have you here. And to all of our loyal community who have been with us from the start, thank you for another incredible year. We can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store. Wishing you all a happy and safe new year xoxo.
As we get ready to say goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024, we’re looking back on a year full of great deals, fun posts, and trending products! We’re reminiscing on the top items sold, our favorite retailers, and some of the social media and blog posts that this community loved the most! Cheers to another fabulous year, and here’s to the next one – see our 2023 year in review below.
Top 3 Amazon Items
AirHeads | Phone Chargers | Hot Wheels Car
Ah, Amazon. The retailer our dreams are made of. Simply think up an item, type it into the Amazon search bar, add it to your cart, and *boom* it’ll be at your door quicker than you can say “did I really need that??” With the thousands and thousands and thousands of items Amazon has, our top 3 were an eclectic mix!! We were loving this AirHeads variety box, this 3-pack of phone chargers (of course), and this Hot Wheels RC car!
Top 3 Walmart Items
Cookware Set | Shark Vacuum | Outdoor Set
We were all about upgrading the home with Walmart this year! This Carote cookware set, this Shark vacuum, and this 8-piece outdoor set were the top sellers!
Top 3 Target Items
Gift Card | Squishmallow | Target Cart
We obviously had playtime on the mind with Target in 2023! Our top three items sold were this Roblox gift card, a Bluey Squishmallow, and the iconic Target cart toy!!
Top 3 Items from Other Retailers
Lululemon Belt Bag | Hey Dude Shoes | Stanley Tumbler
And we clearly all have great style, and love being on-trend, because our top 3 items from other retailers were the famous Lululemon belt bag, Hey Dude shoes, and Stanley tumbler. Three cheers for great taste, Frugal and Thrivers!!
Top 3 Other Retailers
It’s no secret we love Amazon, Walmart, and Target…I mean, can you really blame us though?! These three retailers also brought some fierce competition this year, and with good reason! The top 3 retailers after our big three were:
Top 3 Blog Posts
We wrote, you read! In 2023, we wanted to celebrate, take beach/lake trips with ease, and shop ’til we drop. These were the top three blog posts this year!!
Browse all of our blog posts here!!
Top 3 LTK Posts
LTK – Like to Know It!! The one-stop shop for all things shopping. Check out trending styles in home, fashion, and more, all from your favorite creators (aka, US!!). If you’re unfamiliar with LTK, you might want to hop on this train now. This easy-to-use, addictive app lets you buy items from your favorite influencers with just the click of a button! These were the top posts from the Frugal and Thriving LTK shop in 2023:
Top 3 Facebook Posts
Facebook is where it all began for Frugal and Thriving, and this platform definitely holds a special place in our hearts – and yours, too, it seems! This is where you can find all of the best up-to-date deals, some fun snapshots from F&T everyday life, and a recap of posts from our other platforms! If you aren’t a part of our Facebook group yet, join in on the action here!! These were the top three posts on Facebook this year:
There you have it! A quick little review of the best of the best in all things Frugal & Thriving in 2023. To all of our new followers, welcome!! We’re so happy to have you here. And to all of our loyal community who have been with us from the start, thank you for another incredible year. We can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store. Wishing you all a happy and safe new year xoxo.
We’re breaking out all the tricks and treats this Halloween season! Whether you’re looking for inspo for classroom parties, fall birthday party snack ideas, or Halloween party additions, we’ve got a lineup of Halloween-inspired treats that is definitely spook-tacular and sure to impress your ghouls of honor! See our Halloween treat ideas below.
Pretzel Spiderwebs – a sweet and salty festive treat! Line pretzels up in the shape of a wheel on wax paper, heat up white chocolate until melted and swirl around, take a toothpick or prongs of a fork and pull out for that web look, and then finish with Halloween sprinkles!
Three Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies – Both savory and sweet, simple and perfect for a cookie swap!
- Can of 100% pure pumpkin
- Box of spice cake mix
- Dark chocolate chips
- Mix all together, form into balls, place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15 minutes and enjoy!
Individual S’mores Cups – grab any seasonal peeps and make these year ’round!
- Halloween Marshmallo Peeps (grab any seasonal peeps and make these year ’round!)
- Keebler Graham Cracker Mini Pie Crust
- Snack Size Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
- Place chocolates inside of the crusts, top with a marshmallow peep, place in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes, let cool and enjoy!
Pumpkin Popcorn Station – Personalize toppings to your liking for a spooky movie night treat or a festive and fun addition to any party! Fill a pitcher or bowl with your favorite type of popcorn and top with a scoop, assemble bowls with “options” and scoops on a tray. Serve in festive little snack trays and enjoy!
- popcorn
- candy corn
- crushed pretzels
- peanuts
- gummy bears
- marshmallows
- Reese’s pieces
Apple Slice Sundae Station – Customize your apples, sauces and toppings for a delectable and seasonally fun snack or dessert!
- apples apples – Granny Smith, Gala, Red Delicious (any kind will do)
- chocolate and peanut butter sauce – (or whatever tickles your taste buds!)
- chocolate sprinkles
- mini M&Ms
- mini chocolate chips
- shredded coconut
- toffee bits
- crushed Oreos
- crushed pumpkin spice graham crackers (any graham cracker will do)
We’re breaking out all the tricks and treats this Halloween season! Whether you’re looking for inspo for classroom parties, fall birthday party snack ideas, or Halloween party additions, we’ve got a lineup of Halloween-inspired treats that is definitely spook-tacular and sure to impress your ghouls of honor! See our Halloween treat ideas below.
Pretzel Spiderwebs – a sweet and salty festive treat! Line pretzels up in the shape of a wheel on wax paper, heat up white chocolate until melted and swirl around, take a toothpick or prongs of a fork and pull out for that web look, and then finish with Halloween sprinkles!
Three Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies – Both savory and sweet, simple and perfect for a cookie swap!
- Can of 100% pure pumpkin
- Box of spice cake mix
- Dark chocolate chips
- Mix all together, form into balls, place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15 minutes and enjoy!
Individual S’mores Cups – grab any seasonal peeps and make these year ’round!
- Halloween Marshmallo Peeps (grab any seasonal peeps and make these year ’round!)
- Keebler Graham Cracker Mini Pie Crust
- Snack Size Hershey’s Milk Chocolate
- Place chocolates inside of the crusts, top with a marshmallow peep, place in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes, let cool and enjoy!
Pumpkin Popcorn Station – Personalize toppings to your liking for a spooky movie night treat or a festive and fun addition to any party! Fill a pitcher or bowl with your favorite type of popcorn and top with a scoop, assemble bowls with “options” and scoops on a tray. Serve in festive little snack trays and enjoy!
- popcorn
- candy corn
- crushed pretzels
- peanuts
- gummy bears
- marshmallows
- Reese’s pieces
Apple Slice Sundae Station – Customize your apples, sauces and toppings for a delectable and seasonally fun snack or dessert!
- apples apples – Granny Smith, Gala, Red Delicious (any kind will do)
- chocolate and peanut butter sauce – (or whatever tickles your taste buds!)
- chocolate sprinkles
- mini M&Ms
- mini chocolate chips
- shredded coconut
- toffee bits
- crushed Oreos
- crushed pumpkin spice graham crackers (any graham cracker will do)
If we can find a reason to throw a party, you bet we’re taking it. And a theme party?? Watch. Us. Thrive. Kristy is the queen of party planning, especially when it comes to doing so on a budget, and the results are always FABULOUS! Her daughter just turned 7 and her only request this year – a Squishmallows birthday party. You would think with the popularity of these sweet stuffed characters, putting together a party would be a breeze. But as Kristy started planning, she realized it was little more difficult than she anticipated. As usual, she worked her magic and threw a Squishmallows party to remember. See the highlights below!
A Squishmallows party wouldn’t be a Squishmallows party without all our Squishmallows friends! Obviously the “Happy Birthday” cupcake is essential, and the pizza, sandwich, chips, and ice cream ones are perfect for setting up around certain food stations!
Pastel balloons sprinkled with clear, funfetti-filled ones make for a gorgeous arched centerpiece! This is great for a photo op area or around the gift table. Confetti garland, a “happy birthday” banner, a Squishmallows backdrop, and holographic fringe complete the look!
Colorful candy, snow cones, and macarons are the perfect sweet treats for a Squishmallows party. Stick your lollipops in this wooden lollipop stand and stack your macarons on this tiered stand. The candy station sign is from Decocrated, and yes, Kristy drew that Squishmallow (angry unicorn, according to her husband) all by herself. She might have missed her calling as an artist.
Smarties, marshmallows, and lollipops, oh my! This super cute candy cart is stocked up on all the best treats for your sweet tooth. Add gummy bears and cotton candy for a pastel-filled palette of deliciousness, and if you need a little salty with all that sweet, grab these popcorn boxes to filled with buttery, fresh-popped goodness. If you want to make your own popcorn, we love these popcorn maker essentials.
Is there anything as delicious as a classic snow cone? Grab your snow cone machine and your flavored syrups (these tops make for easy pouring), and these chilled treats will make for one cool dessert. Serve them up in these fun flower cups and top them off with a snow cone straw/spoon.
No real party is complete without a piñata. How cute is this unicorn cupcake?! It’s almost too cute to swing a stick at but…candy!! Stuff it with these party favors and candy varieties and hang it up with this heavy-duty deck hook.
And of course, we can’t forget the birthday cake!! The cake was made by Courtney from Courtney’s Kitchen – if you’re in the South Jersey area, be sure to check her out and give her some love! This cake is incredible!!
Keep the theme going even into your seating setup. Tie-dye tablecloths with pop-up Squishmallows centerpieces make for great table decor!
Gotta send the kiddos home with goodies! Kristy filled these boxes with the cutest Squishmallows-inspired items – mini mystery bags, mini erasers, lip balm, stickers, and more! She also did a scavenger hunt in the backyard and each kid got to bring home two items, including Squooshems, trading cards, and mystery mini Squishmallows!
If we can find a reason to throw a party, you bet we’re taking it. And a theme party?? Watch. Us. Thrive. Kristy is the queen of party planning, especially when it comes to doing so on a budget, and the results are always FABULOUS! Her daughter just turned 7 and her only request this year – a Squishmallows birthday party. You would think with the popularity of these sweet stuffed characters, putting together a party would be a breeze. But as Kristy started planning, she realized it was little more difficult than she anticipated. As usual, she worked her magic and threw a Squishmallows party to remember. See the highlights below!
A Squishmallows party wouldn’t be a Squishmallows party without all our Squishmallows friends! Obviously the “Happy Birthday” cupcake is essential, and the pizza, sandwich, chips, and ice cream ones are perfect for setting up around certain food stations!
Pastel balloons sprinkled with clear, funfetti-filled ones make for a gorgeous arched centerpiece! This is great for a photo op area or around the gift table. Confetti garland, a “happy birthday” banner, a Squishmallows backdrop, and holographic fringe complete the look!
Colorful candy, snow cones, and macarons are the perfect sweet treats for a Squishmallows party. Stick your lollipops in this wooden lollipop stand and stack your macarons on this tiered stand. The candy station sign is from Decocrated, and yes, Kristy drew that Squishmallow (angry unicorn, according to her husband) all by herself. She might have missed her calling as an artist.
Smarties, marshmallows, and lollipops, oh my! This super cute candy cart is stocked up on all the best treats for your sweet tooth. Add gummy bears and cotton candy for a pastel-filled palette of deliciousness, and if you need a little salty with all that sweet, grab these popcorn boxes to filled with buttery, fresh-popped goodness. If you want to make your own popcorn, we love these popcorn maker essentials.
Is there anything as delicious as a classic snow cone? Grab your snow cone machine and your flavored syrups (these tops make for easy pouring), and these chilled treats will make for one cool dessert. Serve them up in these fun flower cups and top them off with a snow cone straw/spoon.
No real party is complete without a piñata. How cute is this unicorn cupcake?! It’s almost too cute to swing a stick at but…candy!! Stuff it with these party favors and candy varieties and hang it up with this heavy-duty deck hook.
And of course, we can’t forget the birthday cake!! The cake was made by Courtney from Courtney’s Kitchen – if you’re in the South Jersey area, be sure to check her out and give her some love! This cake is incredible!!
Keep the theme going even into your seating setup. Tie-dye tablecloths with pop-up Squishmallows centerpieces make for great table decor!
Gotta send the kiddos home with goodies! Kristy filled these boxes with the cutest Squishmallows-inspired items – mini mystery bags, mini erasers, lip balm, stickers, and more! She also did a scavenger hunt in the backyard and each kid got to bring home two items, including Squooshems, trading cards, and mystery mini Squishmallows!
“I’m bored in the house i’m in the house bored”… Oh sorry, nothing to see here! For my house, I fortunately haven’t had to hear those dreaded two little words. Last summer was my first full summer with kids who weren’t doing some kind of summer camp and were literally on summer break from school. I ended up logging all of our daily activities on my Facebook page and it really was wild how busy I was able to keep them! It’s pretty much the same song and dance this summer break and I’ve got some great boredom busters for you to try!
This current summer isn’t much different than last year, other than one of my kids is attending a four week summer intervention program. This is a three hour long, three days a week, for four weeks program. She loves going to school so this is something that she looks forward too!
Pool – We have an above ground pool so a lot of time we don’t have to leave the house, my kids are fish and can literally swim around for most of the day. We have a ton of floats, diving toys, the watermelon ball and goggles, all you need to add is a friend or two sometimes and that’s a wrap!
Library Events – We have an amazing library in our town that offers a summer reading program for the kids, coordinated story times and crafts, demonstrations, classes and special events to attend. Our events are well known and loved so you often times have to be quick to sign up or you’ll be placed on a waiting list! Check your local library for summer hours and events, I was surprised at how often we go there during summer break. This summer they are also doing a scavenger hunt including other local businesses in town.
$2 Kid Movies at Regal Theaters – My kids love these, even if it’s a movie they’ve seen before, there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen! Our theater has the nice reclining seats, so we bring blankets to get cozy, even my two year old son sits through a whole movie! On Tuesday showings, if your a rewards member the popcorn is half off so all five of us can see a movie and eat the oh so buttery popcorn for under $15! We sign up for all the movies we want from the end of June through August and if something comes up and we can make it, you have the option to release your seats and get a refund, I love the no pressure aspect of it.
Kids’ Bowl FREE! – This is a good activity on a rainy day! We have a few bowling alley’s around us that participate in the Kid’s Bowl FREE program where kids can bowl two FREE games of bowling each day during the Spring and Summer months. Sometimes we’ll go just us or we will make plans with friends to meet up and let the kids all bowl together and grab some lunch while we’re there! It is super easy to sign up too; you just find a participating center in your community by inputting your zip code, register your kids and go bowling! Two games is just enough time until they are ready to head back home!
Zoo/Aquarium Membership – We have a membership to our local zoo and when it’s not too hot, we’ll make a day of it getting our steps in and seeing all of the animals we can get to, along with some of the activities that they have, such as a train-ride, feeding the giraffes, and more. The more the merrier, with our guest passes we can bring some friends to join in on the fun too!
VBS – Vacation Bible School! VBS happens all throughout the end of June, July and beginning of August. We attended and I was a group leader for our home church VBS program. We also VBS – hop around to experience our friends church programs! They are usually 5 days long for 2-3 hours – either in the morning or at night. There’s a theme and so many activities, no two do it the same, and my kids thoroughly enjoy them, they just finished one where they got to see a live helicopter land, do a demonstration and take off!
County Programs – The county where I live has an events calendar every summer, they include family friendly shows located at different locations, the latest one we attended was a pirate magic show and movies in the park, so 1-2 times per week a movie will be projected onto an inflatable screen and the public can come out with their entire family and watch! We like to pack up our lawn chairs, blankets, bug spray, lantern, lots of snacks and popcorn and head on our way to catch an outdoor movie with friends or just us! All of our county programs are FREE to the public! They even offer summer concerts, pickle ball, guided trail walks and other special events.
Let us know in the comments what type of boredom busters you do with the littles to keep them busy!
“I’m bored in the house i’m in the house bored”… Oh sorry, nothing to see here! For my house, I fortunately haven’t had to hear those dreaded two little words. Last summer was my first full summer with kids who weren’t doing some kind of summer camp and were literally on summer break from school. I ended up logging all of our daily activities on my Facebook page and it really was wild how busy I was able to keep them! It’s pretty much the same song and dance this summer break and I’ve got some great boredom busters for you to try!
This current summer isn’t much different than last year, other than one of my kids is attending a four week summer intervention program. This is a three hour long, three days a week, for four weeks program. She loves going to school so this is something that she looks forward too!
Pool – We have an above ground pool so a lot of time we don’t have to leave the house, my kids are fish and can literally swim around for most of the day. We have a ton of floats, diving toys, the watermelon ball and goggles, all you need to add is a friend or two sometimes and that’s a wrap!
Library Events – We have an amazing library in our town that offers a summer reading program for the kids, coordinated story times and crafts, demonstrations, classes and special events to attend. Our events are well known and loved so you often times have to be quick to sign up or you’ll be placed on a waiting list! Check your local library for summer hours and events, I was surprised at how often we go there during summer break. This summer they are also doing a scavenger hunt including other local businesses in town.
$2 Kid Movies at Regal Theaters – My kids love these, even if it’s a movie they’ve seen before, there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen! Our theater has the nice reclining seats, so we bring blankets to get cozy, even my two year old son sits through a whole movie! On Tuesday showings, if your a rewards member the popcorn is half off so all five of us can see a movie and eat the oh so buttery popcorn for under $15! We sign up for all the movies we want from the end of June through August and if something comes up and we can make it, you have the option to release your seats and get a refund, I love the no pressure aspect of it.
Kids’ Bowl FREE! – This is a good activity on a rainy day! We have a few bowling alley’s around us that participate in the Kid’s Bowl FREE program where kids can bowl two FREE games of bowling each day during the Spring and Summer months. Sometimes we’ll go just us or we will make plans with friends to meet up and let the kids all bowl together and grab some lunch while we’re there! It is super easy to sign up too; you just find a participating center in your community by inputting your zip code, register your kids and go bowling! Two games is just enough time until they are ready to head back home!
Zoo/Aquarium Membership – We have a membership to our local zoo and when it’s not too hot, we’ll make a day of it getting our steps in and seeing all of the animals we can get to, along with some of the activities that they have, such as a train-ride, feeding the giraffes, and more. The more the merrier, with our guest passes we can bring some friends to join in on the fun too!
VBS – Vacation Bible School! VBS happens all throughout the end of June, July and beginning of August. We attended and I was a group leader for our home church VBS program. We also VBS – hop around to experience our friends church programs! They are usually 5 days long for 2-3 hours – either in the morning or at night. There’s a theme and so many activities, no two do it the same, and my kids thoroughly enjoy them, they just finished one where they got to see a live helicopter land, do a demonstration and take off!
County Programs – The county where I live has an events calendar every summer, they include family friendly shows located at different locations, the latest one we attended was a pirate magic show and movies in the park, so 1-2 times per week a movie will be projected onto an inflatable screen and the public can come out with their entire family and watch! We like to pack up our lawn chairs, blankets, bug spray, lantern, lots of snacks and popcorn and head on our way to catch an outdoor movie with friends or just us! All of our county programs are FREE to the public! They even offer summer concerts, pickle ball, guided trail walks and other special events.
Let us know in the comments what type of boredom busters you do with the littles to keep them busy!
There’s not much that beats a day at the pool in your own backyard oasis. In-ground, above ground, Intex – no matter what kind of pool you have, you can never have enough pool floats, toys, and entertainment, and I’ve got the 4-1-1 on all of this summer’s pool essentials!
This is a must-have, the versatility of being able to lay down or use in multiple ways. Kristy says she’s able to help her son learn how to swim all while relaxing on this water hammock.
Use in or out of the pool since they won’t clog your filter like regular water balloons can and don’t leave a mess around the yard. The fun doesn’t stop once out of the pool…these reusable water balloons are a hit -and they’re 30% off right now when you clip the digital coupon and use code HILIOPWR.
Waterproof playing cards for the lake, beach or poolside. Enjoy a friendly game of poker, solitaire, or war without worrying about getting the cards wet or ruined.
Water Barbies with pools and boats are always a hit – they’re great for imaginative play and sibling play if you’re like me and have three daughters. We like to pair our Barbies with our Ariel mermaid dolls, and don’t forget a water soaker!
My kids love these Banzai mermaids! They play in and out of the water with them, and they will let their two-year-old brother throw them in the pool for them to retrieve for him as a game. It promotes underwater swimming and imaginative play.
3/4 of my kids are swimmers now, but we have always used the puddle jumpers for our non-swimmers when we aren’t actively teaching them how to swim. It eases our mind to have this available and gives our kids a sense of safety and independence when around the pool area.
My kids enjoy using their kick boards for getting around the pool or just taking a minute to hang out and relax without having to kick kick kick. Kick boards really help with strengthening core and legs too. These mini split ring pool floats are also a hit – they are the perfect float for toddlers and bigger kids too.
Swim googles are a must as being able to open your eyes under water brings a whole new element of fun to swimming. These diving mask googles are a kid favorite. They are anti-fog and good for kids who are learning to swim and explore under water.
This watermelon ball is a group favorite! I am still waiting for mine to arrive, but this ball floats, sinks and rises so you’re able to play with it above and below the water. The ball is filled with water and air so it floats like a melon and plays like a ball for loads of fun.
This pool side basketball system brings a classic game of basketball to the pool, adding an element of fun to any pool day. Play H.O.R.S.E or P.I.G to keep it fun!
Diving toys are great for keeping the kids busy for hours of pool play, throwing, diving and collecting rings and sharks over and over again. Diving toys help with underwater swimming and motor skills.
This underwater seek and splash game is one for the whole family to participate in. This game comes with waterproof cards and gems. The gems are placed at the bottom of the pool, and you call out a sequence of gems to find and the first person to bring up all of the gems in the sequence gets a point – the first to 5 wins! Play over and over again!
Nothing gets more classic that a good ole’ super soaker water gun battle! Play in or out of the pool for a friendly game of water tag.
Safety is key, and if you have a multi depth pool, you’ll want to separate the deep end clearly so that your kids or guests know where the deep end begins. This floating pool rope helps clearly divide the pool from shallow to deep end.
I love fun and eye-catching pool floats! The imaginative play of being able to float above the water leads to lots of pool time fun. This unicorn float adds a bit of sparkle to the water, and floats like this are super popular.
Lastly, when you’re ready to wrap the day up, grab yourself a mesh bag to throw all of the toys in! This will allow them to fully dry before storing them inside or in a pool deck box. They come in all different sizes so you can customize to your amount/sizes of pool entertainment.
There’s not much that beats a day at the pool in your own backyard oasis. In-ground, above ground, Intex – no matter what kind of pool you have, you can never have enough pool floats, toys, and entertainment, and I’ve got the 4-1-1 on all of this summer’s pool essentials!
This is a must-have, the versatility of being able to lay down or use in multiple ways. Kristy says she’s able to help her son learn how to swim all while relaxing on this water hammock.
Use in or out of the pool since they won’t clog your filter like regular water balloons can and don’t leave a mess around the yard. The fun doesn’t stop once out of the pool…these reusable water balloons are a hit -and they’re 30% off right now when you clip the digital coupon and use code HILIOPWR.
Waterproof playing cards for the lake, beach or poolside. Enjoy a friendly game of poker, solitaire, or war without worrying about getting the cards wet or ruined.
Water Barbies with pools and boats are always a hit – they’re great for imaginative play and sibling play if you’re like me and have three daughters. We like to pair our Barbies with our Ariel mermaid dolls, and don’t forget a water soaker!
My kids love these Banzai mermaids! They play in and out of the water with them, and they will let their two-year-old brother throw them in the pool for them to retrieve for him as a game. It promotes underwater swimming and imaginative play.
3/4 of my kids are swimmers now, but we have always used the puddle jumpers for our non-swimmers when we aren’t actively teaching them how to swim. It eases our mind to have this available and gives our kids a sense of safety and independence when around the pool area.
My kids enjoy using their kick boards for getting around the pool or just taking a minute to hang out and relax without having to kick kick kick. Kick boards really help with strengthening core and legs too. These mini split ring pool floats are also a hit – they are the perfect float for toddlers and bigger kids too.
Swim googles are a must as being able to open your eyes under water brings a whole new element of fun to swimming. These diving mask googles are a kid favorite. They are anti-fog and good for kids who are learning to swim and explore under water.
This watermelon ball is a group favorite! I am still waiting for mine to arrive, but this ball floats, sinks and rises so you’re able to play with it above and below the water. The ball is filled with water and air so it floats like a melon and plays like a ball for loads of fun.
This pool side basketball system brings a classic game of basketball to the pool, adding an element of fun to any pool day. Play H.O.R.S.E or P.I.G to keep it fun!
Diving toys are great for keeping the kids busy for hours of pool play, throwing, diving and collecting rings and sharks over and over again. Diving toys help with underwater swimming and motor skills.
This underwater seek and splash game is one for the whole family to participate in. This game comes with waterproof cards and gems. The gems are placed at the bottom of the pool, and you call out a sequence of gems to find and the first person to bring up all of the gems in the sequence gets a point – the first to 5 wins! Play over and over again!
Nothing gets more classic that a good ole’ super soaker water gun battle! Play in or out of the pool for a friendly game of water tag.
Safety is key, and if you have a multi depth pool, you’ll want to separate the deep end clearly so that your kids or guests know where the deep end begins. This floating pool rope helps clearly divide the pool from shallow to deep end.
I love fun and eye-catching pool floats! The imaginative play of being able to float above the water leads to lots of pool time fun. This unicorn float adds a bit of sparkle to the water, and floats like this are super popular.
Lastly, when you’re ready to wrap the day up, grab yourself a mesh bag to throw all of the toys in! This will allow them to fully dry before storing them inside or in a pool deck box. They come in all different sizes so you can customize to your amount/sizes of pool entertainment.
Ever wonder what all the hype is about when it comes to the Bogg Bag? I don’t own one…yet…but the word is that the Bogg Bag is durable, leak-proof, it doesn’t tip over, and probably the best-selling point is that it’s washable! The original Bogg Bag averages around $90.00, which for me isn’t a price point that I would initially feel comfortable spending, but it does come with a set of two clear insert bags to hold items like a phone, keys, some snacks, etc. Both of the insert bags actually connect to the Bogg Bag holes which is a neat factor. Kristy does own one and she’s got the 4-1-1 on the bag and her favorite accessories!
A Bogg bag can be intimidating with the amount of space it has (especially the extra large ones) and if you’re like Kristy, you’re famous for throwing everything in there and then losing half of it. She’s found accessories to make the most out of your bag! I mean trays?! That’s a no brainer! She loves being able to put her drink, phone or lunch down without including the sand. The dividers also allow for keeping items organized – her obsession.
Now this slim drink holder is a MUST-have if you have a family with you! It can hold 10 cans or 6 bottles and the slim ice pack helps keeps it all cold for you!! It also doesn’t take up a lot of space in your bag – it’s small and light enough to carry alongside your bag!
Kristy loves that she can also hide all of her belongings under the tray! Add the wallet organizer (great for your money or Wet Wipes like Kristy has below), a key holder (which can also be used for necessities like lip balm and hair ties), and a sunglasses holder!
Check out this BOGG Bag carabiner clip which is great for holding keys or your waterproof mini Bluetooth speaker. These tassel hangers also work well if you have lots of things to hang!
These clear bags keep her organized for the beach and are perfect for storing snacks, sunscreens, and accessories like sunglasses or hair clips! The see-through material makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for, so no more digging around in the dark! They even come with fun, sparkly labels (snacks, sun, and stuff) so it really takes the guesswork out of it!
The Bogg Bag is the perfect bag for basically all things outdoors and makes a great gift especially for end of year teachers’ gifts! {Peep those cute tags she’s attaching – and stay tuned for our post on EOY gifts for teachers!}
The Bogg Bag is the bag to have and is well worth the price point with all of the features, accessories and versatility. A bag of all bags that is perfect for the single lady or the busy on-the-go mama!
Ever wonder what all the hype is about when it comes to the Bogg Bag? I don’t own one…yet…but the word is that the Bogg Bag is durable, leak-proof, it doesn’t tip over, and probably the best-selling point is that it’s washable! The original Bogg Bag averages around $90.00, which for me isn’t a price point that I would initially feel comfortable spending, but it does come with a set of two clear insert bags to hold items like a phone, keys, some snacks, etc. Both of the insert bags actually connect to the Bogg Bag holes which is a neat factor. Kristy does own one and she’s got the 4-1-1 on the bag and her favorite accessories!
A Bogg bag can be intimidating with the amount of space it has (especially the extra large ones) and if you’re like Kristy, you’re famous for throwing everything in there and then losing half of it. She’s found accessories to make the most out of your bag! I mean trays?! That’s a no brainer! She loves being able to put her drink, phone or lunch down without including the sand. The dividers also allow for keeping items organized – her obsession.
Now this slim drink holder is a MUST-have if you have a family with you! It can hold 10 cans or 6 bottles and the slim ice pack helps keeps it all cold for you!! It also doesn’t take up a lot of space in your bag – it’s small and light enough to carry alongside your bag!
Kristy loves that she can also hide all of her belongings under the tray! Add the wallet organizer (great for your money or Wet Wipes like Kristy has below), a key holder (which can also be used for necessities like lip balm and hair ties), and a sunglasses holder!
Check out this BOGG Bag carabiner clip which is great for holding keys or your waterproof mini Bluetooth speaker. These tassel hangers also work well if you have lots of things to hang!
These clear bags keep her organized for the beach and are perfect for storing snacks, sunscreens, and accessories like sunglasses or hair clips! The see-through material makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for, so no more digging around in the dark! They even come with fun, sparkly labels (snacks, sun, and stuff) so it really takes the guesswork out of it!
The Bogg Bag is the perfect bag for basically all things outdoors and makes a great gift especially for end of year teachers’ gifts! {Peep those cute tags she’s attaching – and stay tuned for our post on EOY gifts for teachers!}
The Bogg Bag is the bag to have and is well worth the price point with all of the features, accessories and versatility. A bag of all bags that is perfect for the single lady or the busy on-the-go mama!
Kristy is not only the face of F&T, she also love love loves contributing to her daughter’s class at school! She absolutely adores being able to relive her childhood through her children, and I am right there with her for sure! Field day is just an absolute classic am I right?! Of course, it was it wasn’t even a second thought for her to help by creating a bag for the kids in the class to get them excited for the day and just maybe create a little competition among the other classes! Here is what she put together for a fun day for the kiddos!
Water bottles are perfect for field day to keep the kids hydrated – kick it up a notch and add little individual packets of Gatorade for those extra electrolytes! Don’t forget snacks as well to keep their energy level up. Something as simple as Pirate’s Booty popcorn and dried fruit does the trick!
Sweatbands for their little heads and wrists haha! Can’t you just see them now! I am totally getting Will Ferrell in Semi-Pro vibes from them!
Even after the sunglasses and decorative eye “blue” stickers which were also must haves, they realized that they needed something more. Kristy said that a couple of moms got together and added these life size personalized hand fans with the teachers faces on them…these are seriously going to be epic – (of course they got permission from the teachers before proceeding to get them made). Could you imagine!
TIP: check your local printing service as they may be able to create them for you at a lower cost.
Placing all of the items in a cute reusable tote bag keeps everything together and *voila* – you’ve got yourself a whole field day fun bag!
“I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!” …I know the parents are just going to love us for this as we have little cowbells that will be paired with lanyards for when they are running around. I just can’t with this!
Her daughter’s class is the dark blue team so that’s the color they grabbed everything in, if you couldn’t already tell! GO TEAM!
Kristy cannot wait to be on that field cheering her daughter’s class on as the many faces of her teacher are scattered all over – sure will make for a memorable year for everyone! Be sure to follow us on LTK, FB, IG and TikTok for lots more fun ideas and other awesome deals!
Kristy is not only the face of F&T, she also love love loves contributing to her daughter’s class at school! She absolutely adores being able to relive her childhood through her children, and I am right there with her for sure! Field day is just an absolute classic am I right?! Of course, it was it wasn’t even a second thought for her to help by creating a bag for the kids in the class to get them excited for the day and just maybe create a little competition among the other classes! Here is what she put together for a fun day for the kiddos!
Water bottles are perfect for field day to keep the kids hydrated – kick it up a notch and add little individual packets of Gatorade for those extra electrolytes! Don’t forget snacks as well to keep their energy level up. Something as simple as Pirate’s Booty popcorn and dried fruit does the trick!
Sweatbands for their little heads and wrists haha! Can’t you just see them now! I am totally getting Will Ferrell in Semi-Pro vibes from them!
Even after the sunglasses and decorative eye “blue” stickers which were also must haves, they realized that they needed something more. Kristy said that a couple of moms got together and added these life size personalized hand fans with the teachers faces on them…these are seriously going to be epic – (of course they got permission from the teachers before proceeding to get them made). Could you imagine!
TIP: check your local printing service as they may be able to create them for you at a lower cost.
Placing all of the items in a cute reusable tote bag keeps everything together and *voila* – you’ve got yourself a whole field day fun bag!
“I’ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!” …I know the parents are just going to love us for this as we have little cowbells that will be paired with lanyards for when they are running around. I just can’t with this!
Her daughter’s class is the dark blue team so that’s the color they grabbed everything in, if you couldn’t already tell! GO TEAM!
Kristy cannot wait to be on that field cheering her daughter’s class on as the many faces of her teacher are scattered all over – sure will make for a memorable year for everyone! Be sure to follow us on LTK, FB, IG and TikTok for lots more fun ideas and other awesome deals!
Memorial Day: honoring our veterans and celebrating what many might say is the official start of the summer season! School is winding down and everyone is scheduling their pool openings, cleaning their grills, and filling their propane tanks, gearing up for yet another BBQ season! A friend of mine says that if she can’t put it on the grill, it’s not getting cooked, and I love that! I just happen to be the grill master in my household as well, so I am always on the lookout for BBQ-related deals to keep it fun and yummy for the family and simple for me! Hosting a Memorial Day BBQ this year? I’ve got some of your essentials covered!
I have had my eye on a Blackstone Grill for a while now…it is so versatile, and I love that I would be able to cook breakfast using the breakfast kit and make fun hibachi-style meals. The 10-year anniversary of owning our home is coming up on the 30th of May, so the house may or may not be getting one…SURPRISE hubby (because I know he’s reading this) it’s happening! I can’t just get the grill without getting all of the accessories for it, so I have also been checking out the much-needed grill cover, and of course, the griddle master kit and spatula griddle set to get me started – ya know, the necessities!
My kids LOVE making s’mores, and honestly there is nothing like an old-fashioned s’more with the graham cracker, marshmallow and Hershey chocolate on a roasting stick, but have you heard of Tuck-ins? Oh-Em-Gee! Tuck-ins are the newest obsession and are perfect for your Memorial Day BBQ, summer festivities, AND little hands (LESS MESS)! It is an inside out s’more on a stick!!! Each one contains a crunchy handmade graham cracker, covered in decadent flavored chocolate inside of a fluffy marshmallow! There are a variety of different flavors to choose from including the classic OG flavor! The best part?? Use our exclusive code FRUGAL_AND_THRIVING to grab 20% off your order!
There is just something about the American flag decor that I have always enjoyed seeing and now use in my own home and when I host. I love a good garden flag in the yard as well as a door wreath showing off patriotic spirit. The patriotic flare carries on with decorative beverage coolers, dinnerware sets and fun photo backgrounds.
It’s all fun and games…no BBQ is complete without games! Backyard games are the best friendly casual entertainment among friends and family! I am such a fan of the giant-sized games. There’s giant yard dice to play yardzee and farkle and other crowd favs; there’s also always the favored giant tower stacking game, Tic-Tac-Toe, and ring toss – just don’t forget about good ol’ cornhole!
Of course there is no BBQ without the food…give me all the pickies! Keep it fun and give yourself an easy clean up with paper-lined BBQ baskets for serving. I am a fan of all the foods, but I am definitely a sides girl – my two fav sides are sweet, buttery, crunchy corn on the cob and baked beans! Pair them with a nice loaded burger and a glass of ice-cold iced tea and you got me. Did you know that you can ramp up a can or two of baked beans with just 8 added ingredients? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat beans straight out of the can, but add these ingredients and it is a game changer for sure: all ingredients are to taste!
No matter how you spend your MDW this year, whether you’re heading to the shore, attending or hosting a BBQ, or just hanging out in the yard with your fam, we hope that you have great weather, stay safe, and have a great time with family and friends. And of course, thank you to all of the veterans out there!
Memorial Day: honoring our veterans and celebrating what many might say is the official start of the summer season! School is winding down and everyone is scheduling their pool openings, cleaning their grills, and filling their propane tanks, gearing up for yet another BBQ season! A friend of mine says that if she can’t put it on the grill, it’s not getting cooked, and I love that! I just happen to be the grill master in my household as well, so I am always on the lookout for BBQ-related deals to keep it fun and yummy for the family and simple for me! Hosting a Memorial Day BBQ this year? I’ve got some of your essentials covered!
I have had my eye on a Blackstone Grill for a while now…it is so versatile, and I love that I would be able to cook breakfast using the breakfast kit and make fun hibachi-style meals. The 10-year anniversary of owning our home is coming up on the 30th of May, so the house may or may not be getting one…SURPRISE hubby (because I know he’s reading this) it’s happening! I can’t just get the grill without getting all of the accessories for it, so I have also been checking out the much-needed grill cover, and of course, the griddle master kit and spatula griddle set to get me started – ya know, the necessities!
My kids LOVE making s’mores, and honestly there is nothing like an old-fashioned s’more with the graham cracker, marshmallow and Hershey chocolate on a roasting stick, but have you heard of Tuck-ins? Oh-Em-Gee! Tuck-ins are the newest obsession and are perfect for your Memorial Day BBQ, summer festivities, AND little hands (LESS MESS)! It is an inside out s’more on a stick!!! Each one contains a crunchy handmade graham cracker, covered in decadent flavored chocolate inside of a fluffy marshmallow! There are a variety of different flavors to choose from including the classic OG flavor! The best part?? Use our exclusive code FRUGAL_AND_THRIVING to grab 20% off your order!
There is just something about the American flag decor that I have always enjoyed seeing and now use in my own home and when I host. I love a good garden flag in the yard as well as a door wreath showing off patriotic spirit. The patriotic flare carries on with decorative beverage coolers, dinnerware sets and fun photo backgrounds.
It’s all fun and games…no BBQ is complete without games! Backyard games are the best friendly casual entertainment among friends and family! I am such a fan of the giant-sized games. There’s giant yard dice to play yardzee and farkle and other crowd favs; there’s also always the favored giant tower stacking game, Tic-Tac-Toe, and ring toss – just don’t forget about good ol’ cornhole!
Of course there is no BBQ without the food…give me all the pickies! Keep it fun and give yourself an easy clean up with paper-lined BBQ baskets for serving. I am a fan of all the foods, but I am definitely a sides girl – my two fav sides are sweet, buttery, crunchy corn on the cob and baked beans! Pair them with a nice loaded burger and a glass of ice-cold iced tea and you got me. Did you know that you can ramp up a can or two of baked beans with just 8 added ingredients? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat beans straight out of the can, but add these ingredients and it is a game changer for sure: all ingredients are to taste!
No matter how you spend your MDW this year, whether you’re heading to the shore, attending or hosting a BBQ, or just hanging out in the yard with your fam, we hope that you have great weather, stay safe, and have a great time with family and friends. And of course, thank you to all of the veterans out there!
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