Love Notes for Kids

We had a really amazing and busy summer.

And now it's almost over.

The older I get (or the older my KIDS get, if I'm telling the truth), the more I relish the slower pace even while preparing for crazy trips. I love having the kids at home and staying up late and sleeping in late.  I love having crazy busy schedules full of unusual things and days we stay in jammies all day. Summer is good.

During one of our trips this summer our youngest stayed with grandparents.  When my bigs were little I always made them some type of memory present when we left them.  One year it was a personalized handmade laminated ABC book complete with rhyming and pictures.  In most ways being an older mom of a preschooler is better (I wrote about it here), but that obsessive younger mom did great projects that I have simplified to the point of "projects that barely exist."  

So, here's an idea that was simple and really meaningful for our 4 year old this summer. I thought of it while buying last minute travel items.  I bought four small gift enclosure cards (the little ones you find next to the wrapping paper at Wal-mart) and one sweet little book.  At home I chose 3 books we already have that are special to our family; ones that had been favorites of my two older children.  I wrote notes in each of the cards sharing why the books were special.  Then I taped the notes to each book and wrapped the books individually in wrapping paper and put them in a cheap little Dora bag.  

While we were gone, my mom spread the four little "presents" out over the week and read the cards and books with her.....isn't that sweet?

Ahhh. 

She keeps this little bag with the books and notes together weeks after vacation.

We LOVE this book....so much, for real.

I still can't make it all the way through this book....it is so sweet!

Can you see where she added her name to the top of this little note? 

Sweet new book, just for Anna.

I also sent a water color painting set with her....to Grandmother's house.
Don't be mad, at least I left the kazoo at home!

Here's a list of the books I used:

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
• Kate Gleeson's Wonderful You by Caroline Kennemuth
• Jesus Loves Me All the Time by E. Elaine Watson
• I Love You More by Laura Duksta

I'd love to hear suggestions of your favorite books to use in a little project like this....