Fridge Cups

I love when you find something that just seems to fit what you need in your life. I'm sure it's no secret that I'm feeling like I'm being pulled in all directions these days and when I saw {THIS} post I need we needed to make some for our house. Not only is this a fabulous idea (and why didn't I think of this!), letting the girls be a little more independent, but it was a super quick project which is what we're all about around here these days.

All you need is: 

• Lightweight plastic glasses-Ours came from Target for $1.49 each. The girls loved picking out their own glass. 
• Magnets-I already had mine and they were pretty weak so it took 5 for each glass. I thought that was a better idea than taking three kids to the craft store!
• Hot glue gun

Using your glue gun attached the magnets to the glass. If you have little ones make sure they are secure.  They are extremely dangerous if swallowed. I checked mine thoroughly and was pleased with how well they adhered.

Viola! Now the girls don't have to wait for Mommy to get them a glass. It's right on the fridge where they can reach it!

Two very satisfied customers!

Leaving a Kindergartener & Coming Home A First Grader!

It's hard to believe that it's been 10 months since, with tears in my eyes, I sent Lo on her first school bus ride to kindergarten.

I am AMAZED by how much she has learned and grown in those 10 months.

This past school year was full of so many accomplishments and firsts for Lo. Her daddy and I couldn't be more proud of her!

Just a few of her MANY accomplishments:

• Jumping rope
• Hula hooping
• Tying her shoes
• Losing her first tooth
• She became an A-MAZ-ING reader and L-O-V-E, loves her books. Nothing makes me more proud than to see her with her nose in a book!
• Pumping on the swings
• She knows "Down By The Banks", how to make "cootie catchers" and has about a million keychains attached to her backpack - I love that somethings haven't changed since I was her age!
• Attended her first school dance
• Jumped right in and made some great friends!
• Had her first "Field Day"

It just makes me so proud that she enjoys learning and school so much! She actually cried when it was time for summer break, but I'm looking forward to a summer with these two beautiful faces!

Make Over Your Monday (on a Tuesday)

So were a little late on our weekly challenge, but as I've mentioned, things are a bit crazy around her. No matter how much I want to be back to my normal routine, having a newborn who eats 'round the clock and two little ones wanting my attention too makes things a little more complicated. There has been very little time to blog or do much else. BUT we are getting there, however slow it may seem, we are getting there. I've told my girls that the theme for our summer is "flexibility" and I'm doing my best to be flexible!

How did you do on last week's challenge? I am happy to report we did GREAT! We collected quite a few items and donated them to the local families that lost their homes in an apartment fire a few weeks ago. It was a great learning lesson for the girls. Noa jumped right in and said she would donate 20 things because, "20 is as high as I can count. If I could count to 50 I'd donate 50 things!" I love her spirit! It was a little bit harder for Logan to let go of her things. She had some trouble coming up with appropriate donations but in the end she did great. Both girls went with me to the donation center so they got to see first hand how the community came together to help out.

This week's challenge is super fun and super easy. It's something we've been lacking around her and are in desperate need of. The challenge is to do something CRAFTY. 

We are seriously having some crafty withdrawals around here. It's been weeks since I've painted, sewn, hot-glued, decorated, or refurbished and I am dying to get my hands into some craftiness! 

So get your crafty on, host a crafty night, get the kids involved, whatever makes your heart go pitter-patter! Have a great crafty week and we'll share our craftiness next Monday. I'd love to see any pictures you take of all your craftiness. It's great when we can inspire each other!

Thanks for checking in (and being flexible!),

Back On Track and Make Over Your Monday

As you know, our newest addition arrived 5 weeks early. Like his sisters before him, he just couldn't wait to be part of the family. Despite being the earliest of the three, he was the biggest at 6lbs, 3oz. 

After 7 days, 2 hours and 25 minutes Lil' G was finally released from the hospital. It was the best gift ever! I went in that day thinking we had at least 5 more days before he'd be discharged and was beyond excited when the nurse practitioner asked me if I was ready to go home. I know we are so lucky, in regards to premies Lil' G was not really all that sick. We knew that what he needed most was time and we just had to be patient. Now we have the whole family under one roof and we couldn't be happier. He's a great baby and and luckily he doesn't mind be smothered because his sisters can't keep their hands off him! 

So now it's Monday and we are all getting back on track. Daddy's going back to work and Mommy is taking back the house! We are getting back to our regular schedules and gettin' things in order. This week I'll be sharing all the things I had planned for the last two weeks. We'll be visiting the last few days of school, the start of our summer break and a few furniture projects I finished before the baby's arrival. Thank you all for being patient and understanding as we took some time off. I have no idea how the next few months will go, but I'm hoping to share a few sewing project I've been planning and you know I've got a whole nursery to decorate! Now that we've got a little man in the house there is a whole new world of craftiness out there to explore!

Make Over Your Monday:

For anyone who is new to Hanging On By A Thread, Make Over Your Monday is a way to restart and refresh the Monday blahs. Each Monday I will pose a challenge for the week and we can post how we did on the previous week's challenge.

Our last challenge (a few week's ago) was to do some spring cleaning. Did you get organized and clean? I should have known that the baby was on it's way because I did some serious cleaning and organizing in our kitchen. I went through all our kitchen drawers and cupboards and got rid of all the random papers, take-out menus and packets of parmesan cheese and soy sauce. All the drawers were emptied and washed out. I looks so pur-dy now! We even FINALLY got our flowers planted (a previous Make Over Your Monday challenge that we kept putting off!!!). Our patio and front porch no longer look so boring!

This week's challenge is to clean out your closets and donate to a shelter or family in need.

The inspiration for today's challenge came from a local apartment complex that caught fire yesterday and now at least 6 families have lost their home and everything in it. Luckily everyone involved is safe. Later today the girls and I will be going through our closets finding things that we can donate. It will be a great project for the girls and I to do together. We often talk about helping others in need and it will be a great way for them to put all our discussions into practice.

Have a wonderful week and thanks for checking in,

**Anyone in my area who wants to donate to the fire victims please let me know. I can email you the list of ages and sizes needed for the families. If you're relatively close I'd be happy to pick up your donations. Please email me at: HangingOnByAThread@live.com for more information**

Quaker Soft Bars-Keeping Mama Sane

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It seems that as the girls get older the more running around we have to do. Between Daisies, horseback riding lessons, gymnastics, soccer, dance and all the other random errands (doctor appointments, trips to the market, etc.) we spend A LOT of time in the car. That means we don't always eat our meals at a "normal" time, sometimes I look at the clock and realize that I have missed lunch!  Every mama knows, hungry children=cranky children! Which is why we always keep the car stocked with yummy, healthy snacks. They keep us happy and sane!

That's why I was excited to hear about the new Quaker Soft Baked Bars.

Not only do they look yummy, but they they are full of protein and fiber to keep hungry tummies full!

I can't wait to try the Cinnamon Pecan Bread flavor.

They'd make a great breakfast snack warmed up in the mircowave. Paired with yogurt and a bowl of fruit, and I've got a great breakfast for the girls that's going to keep them full and focused on the mornings tasks.

So if you're looking for a wholesome food that tastes good that you'd be proud to serve your family, than check out the new Quaker Soft Baked Bars, you know our van is going to be stocked full of them!

Where I've Been...

I know it seems like I've been MIA lately but I've got a REALLY good excuse...

Please meet the newest member of the Murray Clan...

His arrival was about 5 weeks before anticipated so we are spending some time in the hospital. He is doing GREAT and we expect to be home together in about a week. Once we get everyone settled we'll be back to crafting, cooking and craziness so please check back with me...I didn't forget about you...I promise!