Head of the Pack

Best Wishes for Back to School!

As the summer parties and pool excursions wrap up, it's time to head back to the classroom armed with fresh notebooks, spanky clean shoes, and neat new backpacks. Lazy Saturday afternoons spent out at the park watching Little League games will soon be replaced with trips to the local library to write that history report. Oh, the joys of getting back to the grindstone! As the school year moves on, time becomes even more chaotic when junior football games begin, band practice is a three times a week commitment, and PTA meetings start dotting your calendar.

We know that eventually every family member will gravitate to his/her own schedule so even having dinner together is a situation! In this issue, check out our new section, Family Time, on pages 52-56, which features projects that parents can make with their kids on rainy Sunday afternoons or Friday Family Nights. Simple to make, with some adult supervision needed, everyone in the family can contribute to creating a Hanging Paper Quilt for the house or decorative Address Number Flower Pots for the front porch stairs. We'd like to think that ‘the family that creates together, stays together.' Take a look and let us know what you enjoyed creating!

Our Back to School and Classroom Ideas sections are packed with educational and organizational ideas for this frenzied time of year. If you know of a classroom teacher that might benefit from this issue, pass it on to him/her! We really loved the Note Easel Stand on page 25 and Make Your Own Dry Erase Board on page 26. What great projects to help stay on top of your day-to-day routine!

From spending time together as a family unit to getting organized for a productive and successful school year, we hope you enjoy this time of year. All the best for a wonderful 2010-2011 school year!

Spend time with kids,

p.s. As usual, I'll be spending my nice sunny Saturday afternoons tie-dyeing in the backyard! Check out the Fourth o' Fun Shirts on page 34 for your July 4th festivities!