I’ve had this idea for several years and have decided to “launch” it with a challenge to all creative Moms (Dads, Grandparents, etc. can join in too!) to get out those craft supplies and send a little lunch box love in you’re child’s lunch everyday for the week of Valentine’s (Feb. 14th – 18th, 2011). You can get your juices flowing by looking at some here.

When my daughter was 3 I began making her notes when she would take her lunch to Mother’s Day out. Almost 3.5 years later, I’m still doing it. She chooses her lunch box every year based on if she think it has room to “display” a note. She looks forward to it everyday and will sometimes come into my studio the morning of and try to take a peek at what I’m making for that day, but I try and keep it a surprise until lunch time. They range from simple “i love yous” to more elaborate pieces that sometimes highlight what she’s learning at school or what’s going on that week. When we went to Disney a few years ago I did a countdown to Disney day in a series of notes, and this year when we were finding out if she would have a little sister or little brother, I counted down the days to the ultrasound via her lunch notes. It’s always been a little way to make her lunchtime special.

I’ll be posting her lunch notes everyday next week and I encourage you to do the same and send me a link to them or link them over on the “a little lunch box love” facebook page, where I’ll be posting notes, ideas and other lunch goodies throughout the year. If you have an older child, maybe a backpack note will work best, or if you have a younger child, think about adding a little note by their plate at lunch. Just show them that you love them!

A first grader is officially in the house! We made it through kindergarten. After her graduation we put her to bed crying because she wanted to stay in Kindergarten and be with her teacher. I don’t know if she fully realizes that she won’t go to school all summer and when she goes back she’ll have a new teacher and classroom. Hopefully we will be able to gear her up for first grade and she will be as excited to start as she was for Kindergarten.

Over the last week or so we’ve been getting all our end of the year gifts in order which took a lot longer than expected and tried to work them all in between deadlines. Here’s just a few things we did to complete the school year:

We have a lot of fun summer things planned like teaching the the Woog to sew, tie-dye, etc. and we’re bringing Woogie Wednesdays back in full force so be on the lookout for that. For me, I’ll be using my summertime to work on a few projects that have been on my list to start and complete for some time now. They’re going to be good, I promise

Today’s the day!! When I got up this morning I saw that my husband had tweeted some of the lyrics to Martina McBride’s “In My Daughter’s Eyes.” Which was so not cool – trying to make me cry. If you haven’t heard it you can here. Prepare for boo-hooing! I kept it together though. She was raring to go this morning and couldn’t wait to leave wearing her cute little uniform.

I made her note and packed her lunch (today’s ice cream day!):

And off we went to school. Once we turned down the Kindergarten hall, she started getting apprehensive. When we left she started crying and had to leave her that way but we’ve already heard that the tears dried up when we left. I didn’t cry a bit! She’s been too excited for me to be sad.

And here’s a shot that every parent can get on the new day of school:

Bright white new shoes! Today is the last day they will ever be clean To celebrate tonight, we’re going to the Rainforest Cafe (her choice)! Thanks for all the well wishes via comments, facebook & twitter. I appreciate it!!

One last piece of art to wrap up the countdown. This has been in my sketchbook for a while and thought it was a perfect piece for this little series.

The Woog’s allergies finally caught up with her today so she’s been resting all afternoon so I decided to do a quick piece on my own.

Tomorrow: Art for 1 day to go!

Knowing my work, you should have expected an alphabet so that’s what we did today. The Woog wrote her alphabet and I used her letters in this design.

Tomorrow: Art for 2 days to go!

Picked some veggies in our garden today and decided to make a school picture of them all. I let the Woog draw her’s first and decided who would be in her class. Then I did mine real quick (but didn’t name them like she did).

Tomorrow: Art for 3 days to go!

Didn’t get a chance to post things yesterday but we did finger print art. This is apparently what we will all look like on the first day of school (art directed completely by the Woog).

Tomorrow: Art for 4 days to go!

Decided to do some art on the chalkboard today. I drew the bus and she added “her friends” in the windows and colored the bus some.

While I was getting this post together, I heard her in the kitchen yell “Daddy, come look at my bus, it’s better than Mommy’s!” So you be the judge (I think it is better).

Tomorrow: Art for 5 days to go!