Crayons

Well, it is getting to be that time. 
If you have looked at the lower left hand corner of my blog, you will see what time I am talking about.
The first day of school is just around the corner.
Literally, around the corner. 
4 days to be exact. 
But who's counting?

I love back to school.

I love back to school shopping.  It always means the start of something new.  New shoes, clothes, supplies.  It was always fun for me as a kid.

As a parent, it is something different altogether.
The chaos of shopping in the stores.  Trying to find the best deals on school supplies.

Target has composition notebooks for a quarter, CVS has folders for $.10.
Every retailer is jockeying for position to be the least expensive and the most shopped.

I now have all my school supplies. 
I went to 33 stores to get them.
I don't think I saved any money.

I did find a couple of deals.  And, as with any deal, when I find them, I always pick up a few extras. This year, the best deal was on crayons.

They were $.25 a box for 24 Crayola crayons.  If anyone found them any cheaper.  Don't tell me.

You can always use an extra box of crayons.  Perfect for finishing up projects and homework at home.
Perfect for coloring on walls and decorating Dad's important papers.

Wait, sorry.  I regressed back to my childhood for a moment.

Crayons will do that to you.

I have always loved crayons.  I wish I could get a hold of a vintage box like this:

This was back when Crayola started making them.
They started out with only 8 colors.  Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black and brown.

Little known fact about the color purple.

Crayola coined the name "purple" to replace the better known "violet" at the time.  Before they called the crayon purple, there was no word "purple".  FYI.

Since I love crafts, I always am looking for new projects to make with regular household items. 
Here are some of the things I found online made out of crayons:

Cute crayon tower.  Kind of reminds me of a playing card tower.  Kind of reminds me of that Brady Bunch episode.....

Perfect present for your favorite teacher!  Can't you just see this fun wreath on their classroom door?  The instructions can be found at your local Hobby Lobby.

Then, there are the projects that you can make with the pitiful broken crayons. 

You know, the ones that you feel bad throwing away, so you shove them in the box all taped up and pretend they are big?

There is the oldie but goodie, broken crayons in muffin tins.

Melted in the oven until they look like cool color wheels.  Or precious paintings by preschoolers.

This next craft is the coolest one I have seen.

A framed monogram made totally from broken crayons.  Granted, they are sized and strategically placed broken crayons, but unique, nonetheless!

My youngest son has come up with a completely new and different way to celebrate the diversity of crayons.
He throws them at my door.

I know.  I know.  It sounds crazy, but crayons are a great way to get your parents attention after they have gone to bed.  And being the size of bullets, they soar through the air with great speed.  Much like tiny grenades.  Oh, and then they bomb my bedroom door.

Let me explain.

We are trying to get Tiny T to sleep like his brothers, with no TV, no Mom and Dad laying down with him, no nothing.
He is not going quietly.

Each night, we walk all three boys upstairs to their rooms, tuck them in, give them kisses, then retreat back downstairs to our room, where we watch TV for about half and hour before we go to bed.
Lucky for us, our bedroom door is completely visible and attainable from the upstairs balcony.  Did I say "lucky for US?"  I meant, lucky for THEM.

See, our door has become a new target for broken crayons, which, when aimed carefully by a determined 8 year old, can hit it perfectly, getting our attention and letting us know he is still up and has no intentions of sleeping on his own.

My husband hates it.  He can't think of a worse way for someone to try to get his attention.  Plus, it means he will have to get up and put him back in bed again.
Which makes it all the more fun for my son.  He knows if we get irritated enough, we will come upstairs.  That is his evil plot.  But who could resist a face like this?

I do have to give it to my son, though.  He has come up with an inventive, creative way to make sure the broken crayons don't feel left out.

Oh, and also a way to make sure I come up and tuck him in again.  And again.  And again..........