Do Box Tops ONLINE!

This post is sponsored by walmart.com and Box Tops

I have a mom confession.  I love the whole school experience with my kids.  I say every year that I won't but I love being room mom.  I love going on field trips.  But there is one thing that after 4 years I just haven't gotten into.......

BOX TOPS.  

I just haven't been able to get into cutting them off and saving them and sending them in.  I feel so bad when our box top coordinator posts constantly about needing the box tops and my kids bug me about their classes winning contests........but I just haven't been able to put this on my list. 

BUT Y'ALL!!! There is now an app! You sign up, put in your zip code and select your school and then scan your grocery store receipts and select box tops that are featured will be credited money! 

Go HERE to check it out! 

IT COULD NOT BE EASIER!!!!!

They also run special offers on certain projects! Walmart has a current offer that gives you 50 bonus box tops for buying 5 products off of a list.  These are 5 of the items.  

So now until September - you can get a lot of bonus points for your school! 

After you submit - you can track the money you raise as well as the money your school is raising in total! 

This is SO up my alley.  Maybe it's up yours as well!! I was pretty excited to find out about it - I thought as we all send our kids back to school - you will want to put this in your pocket too! 

For every 5 Box Tops for Education (BTFE) products you purchase in a single transaction at Walmart on or after 7/10/18 and entered by you by scanning your receipt through the Box Tops Bonus App by 9/10/2018, you can earn 50 Bonus Box Tops, for a your BTFE eligible enrolled school. Only available at Walmart. Multipack BTFE products purchased at Walmart count as 1 participating product for purposes of this offer.  To redeem offer, you must download the free Box Tops Bonus App available through the Apple App Store or Google Play store and be or become a member of BTFE.com, supporting an eligible, listed enrolled school and follow offer redemption instructions within the App. Bonus Box Tops are worth 10 cents each and will be awarded directly to your selected BTFE school. There is a combined maximum of $500,000 in Bonus Box Tops that may be collectively redeemed in connection with this Walmart offer. If maximum is reached, offer will be discontinued and removed from the Box Tops Bonus App. Only BTFE eligible enrolled schools can be awarded earnings. All Bonus BoxTops offers are subject to the App Terms of Service, Official Rules, and Privacy Policy, available at www.BTFE.com. Standard Data Rates May Apply. You also can learn more at www.walmart.com/boxtops. © 2018 General Mills. All rights reserved.  App store is a service mark of Apple, Inc. Google Play is a trademark of Google, Inc.

This and That

Well - preschool has began! And we are both so happy!!! 

Will Holden was actually so happy to go to school! I was so proud of him!! He smiled all the way in and ran right in his room and didn't even look back at me.  And when I picked him up he was still smiling and said "I had a great day!"  

Last year he was standing on a step so it's misleading but my little Hog fan has grown SO much in one year.  He's no longer a baby/toddler - he's a little boy!!! 

Hollis met her soccer coach and got her uniform Friday night.  We are excited for another soccer season this year.  No pressure but her coach won the league championship last year so we are going to have to really step it up! 

Harper had a fun birthday party to go to Saturday with some of the girls she has grown up with her whole life.  

My parents came in town this weekend.  A lot of you who read my blog may remember "Caroline in Texas".  Her parents moved here about 7 years ago.  They are a precious couple and go to my church.  Her dad passed away recently after a long illness and his funeral was Saturday morning so we all went.  Caroline spoke and it was incredible!!! I was so proud of her! 

Since my parents were in town - they offered to keep the kids and for us to go on a date! We don't do that often enough so we were excited.  Normally if we get a date - we just try to have a fast dinner so I really wanted us to go to a movie too.  We love our new downtown theatre that has reserved seats.  We saw "The Meg" which was ok.  Not the best movie I've ever seen but I was entertained and we just enjoyed the time alone! 

Meanwhile our kids went out for pizza and had fun with their grandparents.  

Today we had church and then my parents left.  The girls have gotten really into babies (AFTER I gave all their baby doll stuff away) but I'm just so thankful for them to stay little and play with babies that we got a few new things this weekend.  I am HERE for all this doll playing! 

We have a busy week ahead - life is getting back into full swing! 

Some things

This week we started back to activities.  We are keeping them at a minimum this year at least to start with so both girls started piano on Monday.  Hollis is playing soccer and that's it for now.  We are loving having more free time to ride bikes and play outside and read and chill.  Thankfully - our school doesn't give homework so we are really able to enjoy our time in the afternoon.  

This boy and I have been enjoying our last week of being home together.  He always wakes up saying "What are we doing today?" 

Tomorrow is my sweet friend Rachel's birthday.  I had our group over for breakfast on Tuesday to celebrate.  It was last minute and my house wasn't perfect and normally that would stress me out - but I know my friends would rather come and relax and visit than to sit in a perfect home.  We had the best time catching up.  

Only a week and a half in to school and Hollis has already caught a bug.  ugh.  She was home sick yesterday and is home again today with fever.  I hope it's a quick little virus that doesn't spread. 

This boy had his open house at preschool on Wednesday.  We met his teacher and saw his class room.  

His teacher is so sweet and we are ready for Friday! 

I shared this on instagram yesterday but I will share here also. 

This morning I lost at least 7 years off my life. 

About 10 min after our school started - I started getting texts and FB alerts that there were at least 30 cops all over our school and they were on lockdown from a possible gun shot. I can’t explain the panic I experienced. Thankfully it turned out to be a metal bathroom door that fell off the hinges and made a loud noise. 
This isn’t a post to debate gun control or public school. This is a post that I want to say how extremely grateful I am to have all my babies with me tonight. I’m also so thankful for a school staff who responded quickly and were well prepared. For teachers who kept our kids safe and held scissors and other things to protect them. For Harper’s teacher who just kept quoting scriptures in her head to stay calm and keep smiling so Harper was never once scared. And for our police who were there in 3 minutes and ones like the lady officer who arrived first and ran into the school with no hesitation. 
There are heroes and goodness all around us. Like Mister Rogers said “look for the helpers” and today I witnessed some pretty amazing ones.

The picture above is Harper and her principal.  Her principal texted me that picture around lunch time and I was SO thankful to see that sweet face.  

Ears and Cheers

Well we survived our first week of school.  We actually had a great week! They love their teachers and have good friends.  I'm so thankful for how the year has began! 

We had a nice night one night last week so decided to take the kids out and take a few pictures of them.  Everything was great except the 5000 mosquitos that bit me.  :-(  They only bit me and Harper and I told her it was because we were the two sweetest. ha ha 

Will Holden can not NOT fake smile.  Scott took literally 400 pictures and he fake smiled in all of them.  At least he is kind of looking and not crying. I call that a win in my book! 

I love these three so much! 

We had to go to a friends' house to pick up something after that.  They live on a beautiful place with cows (and pigs and chickens).  The kids LOVE it.  Who wouldn't? 

After that we had a very late dinner.  One of my favorite Bentonville staples, the Station, has been on our square forever.  It's kind of like a diner.  We love it and I was so sad because it closed earlier this year.  But they reopened in a old house near downtown that has a real cool patio.  I had my doubts but thought we should try it out.  

We were there at 8 on a school night and were the only ones there which was delightful.  Locals - I love it even more where it is now.  

Our activities don't get going until this week so it was nice last week to be free after school.  We played outside and just relaxed.  (Don't worry - I know they don't have on helmets but they were just circling our driveway).  

My aunt gave Scott a huge gun safe that had been her husbands.  He and Steve left early Saturday morning to pick it up and it took them most of the day.  Our friend Craig came and helped them unload it into the house.  The safe weighs almost 1000 pounds.  I am surprised they didn't all throw their backs out.  Scott is so thrilled to have it.  We owe the guys a HUGE favor.  Like a 1000 pound favor. ha! 

While they were gone, I took the kids swimming one last time.  Will Holden and I went on Thursday and we were the only two people at the pool.  I had to run up and ask if they were even open.  We had so much fun with the pool to ourselves.  He doesn't start school until Friday.  We have been having a lot of one on one time.  And school is wearing him out having to get up so early.  He never naps but he has fallen asleep in the car line every single day this week.  

I can't lie - Kelly Green is my favorite color.  I had us all in green today (well Harper wasn't but she blended).  Will Holden was thrilled to take a picture with us.  

Sarah Kate came home with us after church.  We went to eat lunch and then I took the kids to get hair cuts and the girls to get their ears pierced.  They had them pierced about 2 years ago and both of them let them grow back.  But this summer they have begged and begged to have it done again.  So we are trying one more time.  They have sooooo many pairs of earrings - hopefully we can make this work.  They are both pretty responsible at this point.  Sarah Kate documented the whole thing for their "you tube channel".  

Sweet girls 

They both did great.  We went to pigtails and crewcuts and I prefer it WAY over Claire's.  

Change is Hard

If you follow me on instagram - you know that one of my very best friends and her family are moving to Texas.  Their moving truck is actually leaving Bentonville this morning and headed to San Antonio.  Her husband has been on staff at our church for 15 years - since before they were even married.  He has an amazing opportunity to be on staff at a HUGE church - Community Bible.  It's so great for him and he is such a gifted teacher/pastor so we are cheering loudly but I have a lot of tears behind my cheers! 

One of the reasons it's hard is her daughter Kampbell and my Hollis are very best friends.  So we are both sad.  I just don't love change.  I keep reminding myself that she's NOT dying - but it's just hard to lose someone you are used to seeing all the time but I'm so thankful for technology and social media.  We will be forever friends.  This all happened very quickly - he got the job and they moved within a couple of weeks so it's been just fast and hard.  This is a long post about the last couple of weeks but I want it for myself to remember.  

Kampbell just had her 8th birthday and her wish was to spend it with Hollis.  So Maegan took them to ride horses at a a friends' house and then to Build a Bear where they made horses that say "I love you Hollis" and "I love you Kampbell" in their voices to each other.  Sigh.  

That night we had a big FRAMILY party with all of our closest friends.  We get together quite a bit.  The bittersweet part is that all of the Kufahl kids have best friends in our friend group.  So we were all very sad to lose them.  

These two are going to write each other and maybe they will end up as roommates at Baylor one day - who knows? 

We took some group pictures the night we had dinner.  Love all these kids.  

This is my circle.  These are the girls who know me best and still love me.  I'm SO grateful for their friendship.  

I pray this isn't the last time we are all together.  

Kampbell came home with us that night and spent the night.  

 Hollis and Kampbell managed to cram a LOT of time in together in the last two weeks.  

We had a big fellowship for them at church on a Sunday night. 

I was in charge of decorating with pictures - which was easy because I had a TON! 

Maegan's first name is actually Naleisha.  Our friend Ashley made this sign and it was so hilarious! 

Maegan and Rachel - they are the best of friends.  It's been so tough for them saying bye. 

It was the sweetest night at church that night.  The crowd was so huge and it was fun visiting with everyone.  Our kids ran wild all over the church and it just felt like the small church potlucks that I grew up with.  

The next morning Will Holden said "I had so much fun last night".  

Mae's Korbyn and Laurie's Emily have been best friends since they were babies.  It's been hard on these sweet girls too.  We are already planning a vacation in San Antonio with the Ormons.  

We all had a great time planning the night. 

Then we had a girls night at our friend Rachel's house last week.  It was such a special night.  

Our friend Susan came by for a little bit but couldn't stay because she had family in.  The girl between her and Maegan is her DIL - Mariah.  She's the lead singer for Mosaic who wrote and sings "Tremble".   

Cute Texas shaped cookies 

Our amazing friend Bobetta made ALL the desserts and wouldn't let us do anything.  It was SO good!!! 

I didn't take a ton of picture - there was a huge houseful of girls there.  We all sat in the living room and everyone shared to Maegan what she had meant to them.  I loved hearing what everyone said.  I couldn't bring myself to talk because I knew I would lose it.  Then a few of us prayed over her.  I thought surely I could pray but I started crying as soon as my mouth opened.  

I love this - it's just so us. 

The girls begged for one more sleepover so Kampbell came over one more night. 

Matching Jo Jo PJ"S, sleep masks, horses, BFF necklaces - it's so perfect for 7 year old girls! 

Monday after school we went over to say one more last goodbye.  It's not really a goodbye - it's a see you later.  I will see them sooner than later.  

Making friends as an adult is hard.  When you find your people - the ones who can make you laugh so hard it hurts and who can cry deeply with you and who make you want to be a better person and points you to Jesus - you hold on to them.  It can be very difficult if they move away but it's not a friendship I'm going to let go! 

We love you Kufahls.  Following Jesus is ALWAYS the best decision!!!