splish splash

Is it hot where you live?  In the Greater Cincinnati area it is HOT HOT HOT.  Yesterday after my parents' annual Memorial Day party the kids got inventive with their ways to stay cool.  Henry plopped down in a puddle to play, and the kids continually put ice from the coolers in the puddle to keep it cool. 

Menu Planning Monday ~ In Reverse ~ May 30

I am participating in Menu Planning Monday at orgjunkie.com, but unlike most of the other participants who plan their menus and post them that week, I'm always a bit behind, and I post my menus a week later. I do this so that I can let you know if I try a new recipe and it's not that great. I don't want to blog about a recipe if it's no good. Participating in MPM has inspired me to find new recipes for my family, and I hope that when you read this post you can find new recipes for your family!

May I present to you, our family's menu for last week's meals:
Monday ~ Basil Burgers
Tuesday ~ Tortellini Marinara and our new favorite BREAD
Wednesday ~ Max's Talent Show = Leftover night
Thursday ~ Mustardy Pot Roast with vegetables (Slow Cooker Recipe)
Friday ~ Chicken Fried Rice & Roasted Broccoli
Saturday ~ Cookout with the in-laws.  I bought buns & made Market Day cookies, so no new recipes to share.
Sunday ~ Impromptu dinner with my parents.

Extras this week ~ Zucchini Bread, Banana Oat Bran Muffins, Breakfast Sandwiches (made 8 to freeze for quick breakfasts for mama and papa - yum!), and Multigrain Flapjacks from my new favorite cookbook: The Kentucky Fresh Cookbook.

So there you have it, our menu for the week. What's cookin' at your house? And if you are a visitor popping over from the orgjunkie, please leave a comment to say hello, or follow along with my blog...I have lots of fun craft & recipe ideas along with cool giveaways here and there.

Have a great week!

No Training Wheels!

This week Ella learned how to ride her bike without training wheels...just in time for summer!  Many thanks to my Daddio for helping her master this skill.  This little girl is tough, and she learned in just two short sessions.  My parents' house has the best driveway for bike riding: long, straight & flat.  We bought used bikes this summer to keep at their house because the kids LOVE to ride bikes and I was tired of lugging theirs back and forth.  So kudos to Ella!  I'm thinking Max won't be far behind her this summer. 
Check out this video of the little biker mama:

Summer Preparations

We are in the midst of the first beautiful weekend in our area in months, and almost everyone I know is spending as much time outside as they can except me.  I'm jealous, but I'm trying so hard to be disciplined and accomplish great things this weekend.  I did get out for a few hours last night for a cookout, and our dinner plans involve sitting outside at a restaurant on the great Ohio River.  So I'm not torturing myself completely. 
Why am I staying indoors?  Well, because the kids only have 2 more days of school, and I am determined to go into summer break in an organized manner.  I love summer vacation so much, I think that goes back to my days as a teacher.  I love having the kids home, and I love going on adventures with them, working on projects with them, and just plain old goofing around.  So in an effort to make our summer vacation more enjoyable, I've spent the past two days getting organized. 
Here's how:

• Tackle the "to-do" list.  I wanted to get rid of some chores and unpleasant tasks so they wouldn't be hanging over my head while I was having fun with the kids.  I'm quite proud of myself, I shortened the list a great deal.  And I cleaned out my home organization binder as well (more on this later, but it's going to be a great help this summer and beyond).
• Sign the kids up for classes & camps.  I signed Ella & Max up for art classes at the fabulous Baker Hunt Center in Covington, Ella is also signed up for cooking classes, and the older three kids will be taking Swim Lessons.  They are really looking forward to these activities.  If you live in the Greater Cincinnati area and are looking for great summer camps, check out Family Friendly Cincinnati's list of summer camps, it's a great resource!
• Food Prep.  I made several batches of pancakes and some breakfast sandwiches to keep in the freezer for quick & healthy breakfasts on the go.  I want to add to this with a few dinners in the deep freeze, for days when I don't have time to cook because we are on the go.
• Make a list of FUN things to do on vacation.  The kids and I collaborate on a list of things we want to do and see during their summer break.  This list has alot of variety...some ideas are simple (a picnic at a local park) and some are grand (day trips to Indianapolis Children's Museum, hiking at Big Bone).  The list doesn't just include places we want to go, I've also added craft ideas & other fun projects.  We bought swim club passes this summer, and we can't wait to use those, but we also want to have some other fun adventures and activities to do.  This list will come in handy on rainy days as well...we've added things like work on HUGE jigsaw puzzles, finish the library reading log, and other indoor activities.  (Feel free to add an idea for our list in the comments section!)
• Clothing Prep.  I think that it's official, the warm weather is here to stay, so it's safe enough for me to box up the winter clothes.  I also washed all of the swim suits, bought new goggles, & organized our pool gear.
• Plan our family trips.   We have two family trips planned this summer, one to a Kentucky State Park for a few days, and one to the beach.  It's not too early to start a list, this will help me from losing my mind when the time comes to pack.  I just started a simple packing list and keep it in my binder, so whenever I think of a random item I don't want to forget, I add it to the list.

So there you have it, that's how I spent my weekend.  And it feels so good to get organized!  I feel like these two days are going to make a huge impact on our summer vacation.  Now, enough blogging, back to work for me!  Tell me though...how are you getting ready for summer vacation?

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama:  A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

simple sewing project ~ sweet baby bibs

I have mentioned this before...I'm a pretty new seamstress.  I can do straight lines, and I have finally taught myself how to thread the machine and change the bobbin.  I could probably become more accomplished at sewing if I put my mind to it, but for now, straight lines are my life.  Well, maybe straight lines with a few curves.  But I learned how to do a few new tricks with my most recent project:  baby bibs! 

I found the pattern in my new favorite sewing book, Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol, from the angry chicken blog.  The book is just marvelous, and it's perfect for a newbie like me.  It has so many easy to learn, and easy to read patterns in it.  I have several more that I am dying to try.  She has so many cool projects in this book..pillows, purses, aprons, blankets and much much more.  It's a great introductory book for someone who is new to sewing.  She gives alot of great advice and instruction.

I made the bibs in neutral colors, so they would make perfect baby gifts for boys or for girls.  I love the banana bib, Ella has a skirt with the same fabric.  I can't remember the exact shop, but I found the banana fabric on etsy.com.

Henry loves the banana bib (and zucchini bread)!  If you are looking for a sweet, thrifty, meaningful, useful gift to give a new baby, consider making a few of these!  Or if you are looking for a perfect gift for the rookie sewer in your life, consider Amy Karol's book.  You can't go wrong with either one.

Cincinnati Summerfair 2011 ~ Ticket Giveaway ~ CLOSED

This Giveaway is now CLOSED
Congrats to the winner:  "K", who said:
I would love to win to be able to expose my kids to more of the arts....(at $10/tix for adults we wouldn't go otherwise...)
Thanks for the chance!

K - You have 24 hours to contact me by email (katie@cards-by-katie.com) or another winner will be chosen.
Thanks to everyone who entered...remember, there are a few more Summerfair giveaway, see the links below :)


Are you looking for the perfect way to kick off summer?  I have just the thing for you!  I have been given TWO tickets to Summerfair Cincinnati at Coney Island to give away to one lucky winner.  And since children under 12 are free, you could take the whole family if you win!  Summerfair is back for the 44th time, with over 300 artists & craftspeople showing & selling their masterpieces.  There will be entertainment, delicious food to buy, and even a Youth Art Rocks! area for the munchkins. 
I have not been in years.  In fact, the last time I was there, I was just weeks away from giving birth to Max.  I cannot wait to go back this year.  I feel it is definitely a perfect kickoff to our summer, since I want to spend alot of time on art projects with the kids this summer & two of the four will be taking art classes at Baker Hunt.  So hopefully, I will see some of you at Summerfair (June 3,4,5 at Coney Island).  And maybe you will even get in free if you win this giveaway!

Contest Details:
One winner will be randomly chosen on Friday, May 27th at 1pm to receive two tickets (worth $10 each).  The contest is open to residents of the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area.  The winner will have 24 hours to get in touch with me, or another winner will be chosen (be sure to leave your email address).  Tickets will be mailed to you.

How to Enter:
Leave a comment below telling me why you want to win these tickets.

Bonus Entries:
~ Find the little things blog on Facebook and click "LIKE", then leave me a comment telling me you're a fan.  If you've already done this, then please suggest the page to friends :)
~ Find Summerfair Cincinnati on Facebook and show them some love too (click like!), then leave a comment below.
 ~ Spread the word about the giveaway, then comment below telling me how you shouted out about it.

Best of luck!
And if you really love Summerfair, you should check out these other ticket giveaways going on at my friends' blogs!
In a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Princess PoodlePuss
Family Friendly Cincinnati

Discloser:  As an added bonus I was given 2 tickets to Summerfair to enjoy the festivities with my family as well!

Menu Planning Monday ~ In Reverse ~ May 23 2011

 I am participating in Menu Planning Monday at orgjunkie.com, but unlike most of the other participants who plan their menus and post them that week, I'm always a bit behind, and I post my menus a week later.  I do this so that I can let you know if I try a new recipe and it's not that great.  I don't want to blog about a recipe if it's no good.  Participating in MPM has inspired me to find new recipes for my family, and I hope that when you read this post you can find new recipes for your family! 
May I present to you, our family's menu for last week's meals:
Monday ~ Basil Chicken with Angel Hair Pasta (see picture, yum yum...don't be stingy with the garlic though!)
Tuesday ~ Chicken Caesar Pitas
Wednesday ~ Brinner!  ~ Whole Wheat Waffles from Weelicious (not at all like the kind of waffles we are accustomed to because of the "wheaty" taste, but we all thought they were tasty)
Thursday ~ I took the kids rollerskating, and there was no time for cooking...so I opted for a take-out treat
Friday ~ Sesame Beef, Roasted Broccoli & Rice ~ this is my own version of beef & broccoli, I roast the broccoli at 425 for about 20 minutes, with olive oil drizzled on top and a healthy dose of garlic stirred in.  Yum.
Saturday ~ Turkey Burgers, Hot Dogs, and all the cookout sides
Sunday ~ Sam's Birthday ~ Dinner at Sky Galley at the Lunken Airport.

Extras:  I made some delicious granola this week for snacking :)  and of course we had some delicious bread on Monday with our pasta.  I'm hoping for some more time for baking in the kitchen this week, I have some new recipes to try out.

So there you have it, our menu for the week.  What's cookin' at your house?  And if you are a visitor popping over from the orgjunkie, please leave a comment to say hello, or follow along with my blog...I have lots of fun craft & recipe ideas along with cool giveaways here and there.

Have a great week!

Sam's Birthday Dessert Plans

Sam had very specific instructions for his birthday dessert.  He is the man with the plan.

happy birthday sam!

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama: A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

chair dancing

did that title get your attention?  i aimed to!  but it's not what you think.  this here is a video description of my life with henry.  this is why i'm always on the go, always on my toes and never getting anything done around the house.  this boy is on the go, climbs like a monkey, runs like a cheetah and is in to everything.  i really wouldn't have it any other way...this kid rocks.  and when he's in school i'll have a chance to catch my breath and clean the house.  until then, i'll just enjoy the entertainment & adventure.

ps....after i took this video i chastised him for his inappropriate & unsafe use of the kitchen chair ;)

this bread is the bomb!

my neighbor calls it "ned bread" because ned bakes it on a regular basis, my cousins call it "nana's bread" because the grands love when their nana makes it for sunday dinner, and sam calls it "earth bread" because it's round like the earth.  but jim lahey, the creator of this amazing bread, calls it "no-knead bread".  i had heard all about this bread from our cousins, and my neighbor had baked it for us on a few occasions, and i had fallen in love with it. 
so i bought myself one of these:

then i mixed together a bit of flour, salt, yeast & water, let it rise for quite a few hours, tended to it just a bit, let it rise again for a bit, baked it, and then....voila, i had this:

it's just delicious, and the preparation is so simple.  i've made it over and over again and it's always a hit!  so light and airy on the inside...perfect with a bit of butter or honey.  i love this bread.  i do miss the kneading, i find kneading to be very therapeutic, but it's so quick and easy to make, so i can forego the kneading.  you should try this bread yourself!  check it out: jim lahey's no-knead bread!

what's your favorite EASY recipe?

Menu Planning Monday ~ In Reverse

a while back i tried to start blogging about our dinner menus for the week at the beginning of the week.  it failed.  i think that the one week i did it i did not make one thing that was on my menu for the week.  it's not that i'm not organized...because i am.  it's just that i have trouble organizing our meals for the week, and end up just grabbing something out of the deepfreeze or deciding it's a good night to eat out.  in an effort to be more organized, save money at the grocery store, waste less food, and most importantly, eat healthier, i have decided to be a better menu planner. 
i started a few weeks ago.  during the weekend i create a menu plan for the week, dig out all of the recipes i need, write my grocery list and hang the menu on the fridge in plain sight.  and it works!  i stuck to the plan and we had some great meals and less frustration at dinner time trying to figure things out.   i want to share my menus with my readers, but instead of sharing this week's menu with you, i've decided to share my menu from last week, so that if i try a new recipe and it stinks i can tell you so, or if i have to switch the menu around for some reason, i can adjust it accordingly.
so without further ado, i present to you our menu from last week, i call it:

Menu Planning Monday in Reverse
Monday:  Dinner with Michaels' parents to celebrate Mother's Day
Steak filets (always on sale at Krogers!)
 Herb Roasted Potatoes (just realized I've never shared this recipe..I will do so soon)
Green Beans
 No-Knead Bread (I made this in my dutch oven...delicious and SIMPLE, give it a try!)
Tuesday:
Tuscan Chicken Flatbread
Grapes & Yogurt
Wednesday:
Slow Cooker Chicken Burritos (healthy AND tasty!  we had these leftovers several times last week...a new fave for Michael & I)
Cheese Quesadillas for the kids
Chips & Salsa
Applesauce & Corn
Thursday:
Brinner!
Pancakes
Sausage
Strawberries
Friday:
Leftover Night & a going away party for my cousin who is moving to California to be a movie star...all kinds of tasty treats there
Saturday: 
We were supposed to tailgate at the Roller Derby, but had to change our dinner plans because of rain, so we went to Sorrento's Pizza instead.  Click HERE for pix from our fun night at the roller derby.  Here's what I had made/bought for tailgating (we ate them for other meals instead)
Hot Dogs w/ wheat buns
Pasta Salad (I think I would have liked this better with plain ol' pasta instead of wheat pasta)
Mixed Berries
Hummus with Pita & Carrots
Sunday:
Cincinnati Style Chili three-ways (Michael's grandfather's recipe, a family favorite)

So there you have it, just in case you are looking for ideas or recipes.  I found my life to be much easier come 5pm with a menu plan in place for the week.  I'm going to keep doing this because it's good for my sanity ;)  I'll try to be better next week with adding links to recipes and adding in other menu items for breakfast, lunch and snacks.  What are you cooking this week?

** i found inspiration for this adventure at orgjunkie.com, i suggest you hit her blog and see all of the other great MPM posts for this week! 

A night with the Cincinnati Roller Girls

my favorite time of the year :: may!

may is my favorite month of the year...the weather is finally starting to warm up (maybe a bit too much today...87degrees!), the flowers are starting to blossom, my birthday is this month (34 years old!  there's me as a newborn on the right>), mother's day is this month, and summer vacation is just around the corner.  it's such a fun and happy time! 

last week i celebrated my 34th birthday.  i was quite spoiled all around, i had a nice dinner with my husband and children at home, a dinner at my parents' house (fried chicken, mashed potatoes & grandma's biscuits!), a date night with my husband, and a girls night out with my mother-in-law, her sister and my sister-in-law.  i'm quite the princess when it comes to my birthday...i like to celebrate it all week long, like a mardi gras of sorts.  i don't demand big presents or anything, but i like to use my birthday as an opportunity to spend quality time with my loved ones.  time with loved ones is much more precious than any gift.  that's not to say i don't enjoy or appreciate the gifts...and i was the recipient of so many lovely gifts last week as well (see some of them below).  it's just that the time with our families was the best.  and after my week long celebration of my 34th birthday, mother's day hit.  we played it kind of low-key that day, puttering around the house, the kids played outside, michael worked in the garage, max had a soccer game, and then that night we had a family outing (minus prince henry) to Cirque du Soleil's OVO.  It was amazing!  I was lucky enough to recieve free tickets in return for promotion of the show, and I am so thankful that I was able to take the kids, they absolutely loved it.
So here's a little photo collection from my special week...it was all about me...and i loved every minute of it.  my husband and my loved ones spoiled me.  it was hard to come back to reality on monday. 

a beautiful necklace from someone very very special to me

the awesome wrapping paper used to wrap the above necklace

more jewelry!  a precious bracelet made by my ella rose for my birthday. 

date night concluded at graeter's, where i found:

for mother's day michael bought me this lovely hanging basket...and took the kids outside for the morning to give me some rare peace and quiet.

ella made several sweet cards for me, although this one had me worried...she's a bit young for heartbreak, sigh.

and ella also made me this very cool vase...it's a quatropus (instead of an octopus)

sam made me this hot plate...in case you are having trouble intepreting, it's me.  a big blue me.  with pink hair, blue ears, green legs, and two different colored eyes.  no mouth.  no nose.  but i love it.  just precious.

max also made me a vase of flowers, somehow i don't have a picture of that one.  i love that they all used their creativity to come up with gifts.  some were made at school, and some were made in the basement with strict orders for mama to stay upstairs.  i will treasure these gifts forever.  and the memories of all of the family fun i had last week.

how do you celebrate birthdays in your family?

Snazzy Spider Tie GIVEAWAY! ~ CONTEST CLOSED

GIVEAWAY CLOSED!  Thanks for entering!  And congrats to our winner, PumpkinLady, who said...


I want Big D to wear this tie!!!

email me your address (katiecards-by-katiecom)
 :)  and to the rest of the readers, stay tuned, more giveaways coming this summer!


Most mothers have to argue with, cajole & needle their sons to dress up for nice events. I’m in the minority, my boys LOVE wearing ties. I’m not saying that when they are dressed up they stay all neat and tidy or anything….their shirts are always untucked, the knees of their pants often dirty, and they always look a bit rumpled. But that just makes them look like adorable boys. I used to buy ties from children’s clothes shops, but they are kind of dull, and aren’t that durable. So this Easter I decided to think outside the box and bought the boys ties from etsy.com. I got a bundle of 8 ties from addylynn’s shop on etsy ~ not just any ol’ ties mind you, these were snazzy ties, with great designs. There were pirates, robots, star wars figures, Christmas designs, and more! The boys were over the moon about their new ties! Some of them were “ready to wear” with Velcro, and some were standard ties, and there was a variety of sizes. It’s a great collection of ties, much cooler than their daddy’s ties.  I’ve gotten so many compliments on these awesome ties. And what I love about them is that they are so unique, like my boys.

Judy, from addylynn, has generously given me this super cool spider tie to give away to one lucky reader! It is size 4, and has Velcro tabs, so it’s ready to wear! And it's made by hand!  It would be a perfect gift for your son, grandson, nephew, friend’s son, or even a cool baby shower gift! This cool tie might even get your son excited about dressing up!

THE CONTEST:
Entering is easy, and of course I’m going to give you several chances to win ;) Just leave a separate comment for each entry, and be sure I have your contact information in case you win! A winner will be chosen on Wednesday May 18th at 1pm. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or another winner will be chosen.

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment telling me who you have in mind for wearing this cool tie.
2. Spread the word about this giveaway (use facebook, twitter, email or even phone a friend) – then leave another comment below telling me how you spread the word.
3. “Like” me, I’m desperate for friends on the little things’ facebook page! If you already “like” me then please suggest the page to your friends! And then leave another comment below telling me you did so.

Best of luck!  And be sure to check out all of the other cool stuff in addylynn's etsy shop.  She is so creative!

happy mother's day!

i want to give a shout out to all of the wonderful mamas in my life.

especially my mama, who raised me right and made me who i am today.  she is my dear friend and confidante.  my role model.  the woman who still worries over me and cares for me like no other.  she loves me unconditionally.  she laughs with me on happy days and consoles me on grouchy days.  she believes in me.  she listens to my ideas, and helps me bring them to fruition.  she tends to my babes, as lovingly as she tended to me for so many years.  where would i be without you?

i love you  mom!

and then there are the other mamas who have shaped who i am...my grandmothers. 

four generations at the birth of ella rose in 2003.  i still miss my nana every day.  she was a fabulous lady.  i learned so much from this classy lady.  she taught me how to listen with an open mind and an open heart.  she taught me to cherish my family and appreciate my heritage.  she and my bop took me on one of the greatest adventures of my life...to ireland and england.  she was one of the first people i would work on scrapbooks with.  she was always chastising me for not doing enough journaling, because my albums are mostly pictures, very little writing.  her albums were treasures...she recorded so much history in them.  i think she would be happy that i'm recording things in this blog. 

four generations in 1977, that's me, baby katie in my great-gram's arms (ella's namesake, Rose) with nana on the left and mom on the right.  i didn't get to know gram, but i'd like to think i got some of my creativity from her.  she made so many beautiful things during her life, and some of those treasures decorate my home.

here's my dad's mom...anna mae.  she's an amazing lady, 85 years old and she still cuts her own grass.  and she lives on a STEEP hill.  so i'd like to say she taught me a bit about hard work.  and for a while i said that i was trying to keep up with her in terms of childbearing.  i stopped at four.  she had twelve!  i admire so much about grandma.  she's a hard worker, loves her family fiercely, and will always share a smile and a warm hug.  another thing that i admire about grandma is her strong faith, she prays for all of us at church each day.  and then there's her baking...she is a master baker, her biscuits are delicious, and don't get me started on her pumpkin roll. 

and here's another very special mother in my life...michael's mom sharon.  she did an amazing job raising her three boys, they have all grown into fine men.  i thank her for everything she taught michael to make him who he is today.  my mother in law is such a fun-loving and adventerous person.  she is also so very creative in so many ways!  she loves to spend time with her grands, and she loves to have her family around her for relaxing at the campers, sledding in the snow, playing wii in the living room, or sitting around the table for a big family dinner. 

so happy mother's day to all of the mamas.  i hope that you are pampered, loved, nuturued and spoiled this mother's day. 

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama: - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

first communions :: now and then

i had several hours this morning in which to clean the basement.  see, i need to clean the basement in order to organize all my stuff for my yard sale, which is next weekend.  but instead of cleaning, i got distracted by a box of old pictures.  i started scanning in pictures and before i knew it, the time had come to pick the boys up from school.  sigh.  you know where you can find me tomorrow...in the basement, cleaning.  here are some fun first communion comparisons for you to enjoy...and i'm sure i'll be sharing more blasts from the past in the coming weeks.

katie & ella and our beautiful banners

michael & ella

katie & ella with anna mae, my father's mother

maternal grandparents:  me with my nana & bop, and then ella with her papa & nana.  both pictures taken in my parent's backyard.  their grass looks so much greener in 2011 with all of this rain we've had!  1985 must have been a dry year!

ella with her grandparents (michael's folks) and then michael with both sets of his grandparents on his first communion day.

and here's one of my favorites...me and sweet veronica on her first communion day, and then veronica (all grown up and a mother now herself) with ella bean.  these photos make me happy and sad all at once.  happy because i've watched my cousin grow into such a fine young woman, and a fabulous mother.  and sad because it seems like it was just yesterday that veronica was making her first communion, and i can't bear to think of ella growing up so quickly. 

making books with children :: all about me

Recently I taught a course for children entitled "Beyond Books".  Each week I selected several books in the same category/theme/area of interest and planned activities based upon these books.  I tried to come up with fun, engaging & hands-on learning activities for the children.  My hope in this class was to encourage a love of reading, and an appreciation for books. 

For the topic "All About Me" we read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood and On The Day you Were Born by Debra Frasier.  We talked about qualities that made each of us unique, and on the board I wrote each child's name (vertically) and we came up with a word for each letter, for example, using Ella's name:  E is for Enchanting, L is for Loving, L is for Laughing, A is for Artistic.  The kids had fun coming up with the words to describe themselves.  It was a perfect activity to boost self-confidence. 

Then we set about to make books of our own.  Before class I made books for each child using copy paper for the inside, cardstock for the front & back covers, and staples & masking tape to bind.  Here's what I came up with:

For the inside pages I printed out some that had to be filled out by the students with writing, and some that gave a title and then asked them to illustrate (ie: the "My Family" page).  I also left some blank pages at the end for them to draw/write what they wished. 

The kids had a great time working on these books, and in the end they were so proud of their work.  I think that they were extra excited about the projects because they were so personal, and also because working on a book made them feel like authors. The children loved being authors and illustrators of books all about themselves...Ella is still looking for a publisher. 

This is a wonderful project to encourage self-awareness, an appreciation for oneself as a unique individual, good practice with reading & writing skills, and also find motor skills.  Another great thing about this project is it's versatility.  I did it in a classroom with first and second graders, and I also did it at home with my 5 year old and my 7 year old.  I think you could also modify the project for older students or younger children (illustrations only).  You can do the project with materials you have on hand at home...paper & pencil, crayons, markers, or you can get fancy with the illustrations and make collages, or use real photos.   The possibilities are endless.