Stamped Summer Library Bags

Every year, the kids sign up for the library summer reading club. The problem is that with three kids, we end up getting about 30 books each week and they end up everywhere. So last year, I made Kylie this bag and never got around to finishing the bags for Carter and Makenna. We took our first summer trip to the library last week and I quickly remembered why we needed the bags.

The bags come from Michael's and come in a three pack for $9.99, but if you use the coupon they're cheaper. They come in both the tan color and white.

Makenna wanted a zoo bag and Carter wanted an Elvis bag. I stamped the names with the Big Deal Alphabet (page 155). Makenna's is stamped with Wild About You (page 70). I think I'm going to go back and sew some ribbon along the top edge and "glam" it up a bit. I stamp the image, but because of the rough surface of the bag, I go back over and colored it with Sharpies. I used the Elvis line from Cornish Heritage Farms for Carter's bag.

Elvis is back in the building

As you all know, Carter was supposed to be in his school's Idol lip sync contest a couple weeks ago. We practiced, bought the silver wide-frame glasses, watched Elvis videos and movies and even bought a wig. We ended up not using the wig, because on a 6-year-old boy, it looked a little more like Don King.

Anyway, the morning of the show, Elvis is nauseous at 5 a.m. Elvis never wakes up at 5 a.m. Elvis needs to be drug out of bed at 6:45. So, we were hoping it was just a case of nerves. But when he says he has to throw up, you run. Fast. So, it ended up being a nice case of the flu.

We were all devastated that he'd miss the show. At 3 p.m., he woke up after sleeping for about 5 hours and said, "I think I could do it." Sorry, buddy. No school...no contest. He ended up doing the little routine with his "moves" for a house full of ladies here for a bridal shower on Sunday without hesitation.

A few days later, his class wrote letters to him. They were so adorable, I almost cried. They said things like, "You are still a rock star to us." and "I know that you would have rocked good." They drew pictures on the back, which were just as adorable. Check these two out...
(I'll upload the photos tomorrow....)
The first one is supposed to be Carter up on the stage.

The second one and my favorite, is by Caitlyn. Notice the vomit. Only in the eyes of a first grader.

His teacher emailed me later in the week and said that they were going to let Carter do his little stint for the entire first grade on Friday during school. I went to his school and helped him get changed. It was right after he had P.E. so he was sweaty as a hog, and then had to put on the leather jacket. :) He walked into the gym and there was the whole first grade, a fifth grade class, the principal, assistant principal, custodian, secretaries, some parents, plus the music teacher. He drew a pretty big crowd and was really pumped up. He got out there and sang his heart out! I was so proud. Here's the video.
The first part is him in the morning before school (notice all the dirty dishes in the sink...just keepin' it real as Pioneer Woman would say) and then it goes into the song. Then we go back to his classroom and they're having a little party. I should also mention that it was pajama day, which Carter would never do in a million years. :)

Elvis has left the building...

Our son, Carter, who is six is infatuated with Elvis. He heard one song on my husband's iPod and fell in love. Now, a couple months later, he has every Elvis song ever made (not to mention knowing all the words), owns two Elvis full-length movies and has the DVR set to record *anything* with Elvis. He has several Elvis books and watches concert clips on YouTube and Elvis.com.

He bought himself a guitar, I bought him the glasses and he made his grandma buy him the white shirt and tie. He already had the black Harley jacket. He wanted me to dye his hair black...um, no....you are six years old. He also bought a wig but it now resembles Don King a little more than Elvis, so we vetoed it. He wanted to take the Harley letters off of the leather jacket and replace them with a big Elvis patch, but we vetoed that as well.

Tonight was the practice for his school's Idol contest in preparation for the real deal on Friday. He's going to sing "Don't Be Cruel" and he has some "moves". Here's the conversation that transpired last night:
Me: Carter, tomorrow is your rehearsal, you should practice your dance.
Carter: Mom! It's not a dance!
Me: Huh?
Carter: Boys don't dance. They have "moves".
Me: Okay. Whatever.

These are some photos. He did three go-rounds. As soon as I can get it working correctly, I'll upload the video. I can't stand how adorable it is. In the meantime, here are a few photos that my mom took....