Just call me Rainbow Bright!

No one can ever say that I am afraid of color that is for sure! My house is now a rainbow. I am thinking the only color I don't have represented is blue.... maybe the garage can be painted blue that would be cute! For those who have never been to my house, my bedroom is a yellow gold, my master bath is sage green, Mykenzie's room is pink & Kaylee's room is purple (lavender). Last year around this time we painted the girls bathroom a bright orange (you can click here for a reminder). Our loft was red when we moved in and while we repainted it because they did a terrible job but we kept it red. Downstairs our living room is brown our kitchen is purple (Plum) and now our half bath is BRIGHT green! Now I must say that it is MUCH brighter than the swatch I have is but it works out because I love it anyhow! So now 2/3 of the bathrooms in my house blind you when you walk in! LOL That is what Travis says anyhow. I personally love it so I don't really care. I really hope that when we decide not to live here any more the person buying likes color too cause I will be damned if I am repainting over any of it!! I still have some accessories in mind to add but here are some photos :)

BEFORE

AFTER! Isn't it pretty!!

Signed~ ROY G BIV

This could be a record!

I haven't really posted anything in a while. Sure I did my shame on you post but does that really count? Life has been pretty quiet around here the past couple of weeks both by choice and not. Last week I was really sick, I imagine that most of the people that have permission to read this blog already know that I have Inflammatory Bowel Disease(IBD), I call it old man disease. While most of the time I consider myself in "remission" every now and then it rears its ugly head and knocks me on my ass for awhile. I was out for over a week pretty much laying on my couch sick with a few good hours here and there thrown in to trick me into thinking I was better only to be knocked back down on my ass. Anyhow, while I am no longer saying that I feel better cause every time I do I end up sick again, I will say I am no longer couch bound and am able to actually leave my house without panicking. This started Monday afternoon. So I have run a few errands this week but mostly have chosen to stay put. I haven't crafted other than making a couple more bean balls yesterday to fill up the apothecary jar and helping a friend make a tutu. I have my next one planned and the stuff to do it but I haven't gotten around to it. I have to do the girls valentines day boxes for school first.

The girls are doing really good. Mykenzie got her 2nd report card for the year a week or 2 ago and got straight A's for the first time!! 4.0 Baby! She brought her reading grade up from a B which I was sure she would do since she hated reading until the end of the last grading period, now she loves it and reads more than she ever has and has found some books she really enjoys and is reading above her grade level. This is big because before she really hated reading and would get books that were way under her skill level just to take the easy way out. Last night she was reading a 4.2 (fourth grade second month) level. I realize that it isn't how some people are saying oh "Johnny is reading 2 grade levels above where he should be" but it thrills me to no end. This is such a huge improvement to have her actually choosing books she should be reading. I have no doubt that she can read at an even higher level and she will get there soon. I am just so happy she finally loves to read!!

The upcoming weeks are going to be pretty busy. Not insane but I have alot going on this month. Between Mykenzie's dental stuff and girl scouts and both girls have school things and add in Valentines Day,2 no school days and 2 MNO this month is going to seriously fly by. At least most of it is fun stuff though ;)

Shame on you!

If you are reading this blog without my permission by logging on with someone else's identity you need to back yourself right back out of here. If you would like to read try asking ME! I don't have a problem with people reading but don't be sneaky about it. I made it private for a reason. If you are giving out your log in info out to people, shame on you. I wouldn't do that to you! You know who you are, I know who you are, my suggestion... get a new password and don't give it out again.

Project of the day

While walking around Lowes today I stumbled upon some ceramic tiles marked down to 35 cents each! Yay! Perfect for a project I have been wanting to try out. Pair that with the Hobby Lobby 50% off of stamps and ink sale and I have the makings for a pretty sweet craft that I really needed to have anyhow but didn't want to pay $20 for. I got enough to make 2 more sets for gifts too :)


Here are the supplies.....








Finish Product....





Still don't know what it is? Now look... It is a set of 4 coasters :)

Mission accomplished ;)

I was a lazy girl this week! I realize it is only Wednesday but Travis is home now in effect ending any productive time I would normally have. On Monday I had Barbara and her kiddos over to play while we awaited the news that Chandra had Eli and both were doing well.

Tuesday was the Inauguration! YAY! Which I watched at the hospital while holding the sweetest baby boy ever. Good news is that holding that sweet baby boy I did not want to go home and have one of my own, I do however want to hold that one, ALOT!

Today was the laziest of them all. I hung out on the couch with my computer. Watched cartoons with Kaylee. I did do a few loads of laundry and put them away and did some minor cleaning, by that I mean dishes, picked up some toys. I did do a small craft project today as well.... Here are the photos :) I saw these in an Etsy store for $5 each mine were approx. 50 cents each!!!

Yep. They are black and red bean balls :) I need to make a couple more for my apothecary jar though

Here are our Inauguration Day Photos

Don't mind me in the photo. I look terrible and totally exhausted. I was trying to show the shirt. I suck at taking photos of myself and lets face it I am just not photogenic at all. So I gave up and just took a photo of the shirt! lol

We were all decked out for the Inauguration :) Kaylee has a red,white and blue ribbon in her hair and Mykenzie wore her USA shirt to school as well. What a fabulous day it was :)


My lovely husband brought Mykenzie's camera with him to Ohio and while there snapped some photos of the craft project I forgot to take pictures of before I put them in the mail! Yay! So below are the pictures of the photo blocks I made. You will see my kids on 2 of them and the other 2 are my 2 nephews, Neeko and Jaden and my niece Lily :) Travis told me that my MIL has them all on her mantle :) Yay! I am excited she likes them! Though the flash isn't allowing there true cuteness to shine I think they turned out quite adorable thank you very much ;)

I am done

I am totally spent. I have been busting my tail all week. I did all the decorating, painting and shopping that I mentioned in previous posts and then Saturday I did a complete overhaul of my closet. It looks so good now! It is actually functional and we don't have to step in baskets of dirty clothes in order to get to the back of the closet. I got some shoe things, a laundry organizer, brought a book shelf in from downstairs and used a rubbermaid tote to get some stuff out of there and into the attic where it needs to be. It seriously looks so much better and so freaking organized it is awesome! I would post a photo but I don't have a before so you wont get the full effect. Just know I ended up with a big box for phase 2, a bag of trash and a bag for good will. Beautiful. Because I moved the bookshelf out of my downstairs closet to upstairs I also had to rework some stuff down there and it looks so much BIGGER! Just from removing a bookshelf that honestly did not take up much room at all. Now if I could just figure out a storage solution for our games I would be extremely happy.

I managed to get about 10 badges sewn onto Mykenzie's girl scout vest. I finally found them when I cleaned out my downstairs closet Saturday. I put them in a spot that made absolute perfect sense I just forgot completely where I put them! lol don't you love when you do that!

Now I can think of a million more things to do but I think I am going to hang out and spend the next couple evenings I have alone with a good book rather than with paint and spackel. Maybe just make a list of all the millions of things I want to do around this house, big and small to see what I can do here and there. I informed Travis last night that I wanted to put wainscoting in Kaylee's room and he just rolled his eyes and gave me a whiny "why?" LOL Gotta love it :)

We had snow all day today. It looked like it was going to stick for a minute but it ended up all going. It looked so pretty coming down though. I believe if it is going to be cold I want it to snow so at least the beauty of it distracts you from the cold somewhat. I just hate cold for the sake of being cold.

Tomorrow is the big day. Ol' GW will FINALLY be out of the White House!!! Woohoo! I am thrilled to have Obama being sworn in tomorrow! I can't wait to watch it. Travis got me a coffee cup while in Baltimore last week with Obama on it, it rocks! He got himself a sweatshirt that I will certainly have on tomorrow when I walk Kaylee into her totally Republican filled school. Well I live in TN so everywhere I go will be totally Republican filled! LOL I love it! I will be going to the hospital in the morning to meet Chandra's new baby!!! She had her little miracle boy today and he is such a cutie! Congratulations to her and her family! I am so thrilled for them!

Easy, relaxing week. That is the goal. I'll let ya know how that goes as I seem to have a problem doing that when Travis is out of town. Today though, mission accomplished! lol

Giving into the decorating bug

I have tackled some projects this week since the decorating bug bit me. I gotta say my living room finally feels pulled together. (Of course, since Travis wants to paint it, I won't allow it now though) I still have 1 more table to purchase but I am looking for the right one (for cheap) to put by my front door. Can't wait for garage sale season!!! I already posted all the deals I bought on Tuesday so those are in my living room, well some are. I also bought a gigantic red plate for my mantle that I jazzed up a bit (I talk about that in a minute). I painted the half circle table between my kitchen and dining rooms black and it looks much better!

I purchased the Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) program for my cricut on Wednesday night and it freaking rocks! I made a big "B" for on my gigantic mantle plate and added some other things in my house. I must say that I am dangerously close to having words on EVERY wall in every room of my house! It is addictive!!

I also bought a few new storage totes to help me get some things lacking organization organized. I will say that I have gotten some of that stuff done but still have to complete that project.

Next on my agenda.... ha! what's not.

*I have plans for my loft but I need a LOT of cash for that room because it involves buying a new 50inch plasma so that has been bumped to the bottom of the totem pole since we just re-carpeted out entire upstairs.

*Mykenzie's room needs repainted and her things need put back on her wall. I just don't like the set up in there right now, and she wants stripes on her wall. I have never done that so I don't know if I am capable to do it as I can't make straight lines to save my life.

*Kaylee's room needs upgraded from babyish to little kid. I don't have any kind of a plan for what I am going to do yet but I am thinking that wainscoting will be involved :)

*I am DYING to redo my laundry room! That is going to require garage sales though cause I can't spend alot on things for a laundry room, I just can't bring myself to do it. But I have a specific idea in mind so I may have to! lol

*My downstairs bathroom needs a serious face lift as well.

I guess I should have just said I have plans for every single room in my house, except the living room and the girls bathroom cause that would have summed it up much better! lol Sorry to all of you actually reading this! So many plans so little budget.

Here are a few photos :)

My newly painted table with new vase and flowers

The wall between my window and front door... so much better!

My gigantic red plate, with my SCAL "B"

My mantle now

Mykenzie's headboard :)

Deals Deals Deals!

Lately I have been out shopping for some great deals. That is the best part about this time of year after all. Now that Christmas is done and it is a long way to spring. How else are we supposed to pass the long cold winter days? Here are some that I have picked up recently, mostly today though. (You can click all the photos to see better)

Hobby Lobby is having a big sale. I love when I can utter those words. I got the above for $6.80! It is darker than the pic shows, love that flash. Looks cute sitting on an end table in my living room

I got this one for $6.12! Soon I will have too much to put on all of my new(ish) tables in my house!

I didn't know if I would like this or not. Still haven't decided. I got it at Marshalls ($12). I will be going back to Hobby Lobby to get the flowers I saw and wanted to put in it on Thursday. Hopefully it all works when done.

These baby's were only $7 each. They replaced some very disliked pics in my living room. Though I like it better, the wall is still missing something so the search continues ;)

Christmas Tree Deals!!

These were some serious deals! I can't wait to put them out next Christmas!

This is much cuter in person. It is metal, painted white with lotsa' glitter :) Original price $39.99 my price $3.99

Just thought this would be cute upstairs or on my kitchen table next Christmas :) This one cost me $4 not sure of the regular price

This picture doesn't do these justice either. The little pots say on one Merry Christmas and the other Happy Holidays. They have tiny red bells with white polka dots and swirls :) So cute! I got these for $1.50 each

So cute! Originally $29.99 my price $2.99!

Crafty deals

I got 2 HoHoHo's, 3 Noel's, 2 Joys a Peace and a paper mache Noel all for.....$1.50!

These big paper Noel's (I got 3) were only 59 cents each!

Hello all of you and welcome to my home, you will be Christmas gifts next year!

Deals cont.

I guess most people wouldn't consider $2.50 a good deal for potted sticks but I love it!

My $1.50 letter B!! I am so in love and becoming slightly obsessed

I know it doesn't look like much now but soon it will bloom and be lovely. And for $2.24 who could pass that up!

Latest notebooks

I made these for bunco prizes last week. I really wanted to keep the top one though

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Who knew my house could talk? What does yours say?

Your Home Says That You Feel Settled and Calm

You don't come across as very intellectual or serious. You seem like a bit of a goofball. You have amazing hygiene, and it shows. You are sparkling clean! You are a very domestic person. You enjoy decorating, cooking, and making things homey. You are not a nurturing person by nature, but you can easily take care of someone you truly love. You feel settled in your life. You have enough time to focus on little details. You are a somewhat self sufficient person. You can do fine on your own if you have to. Your friends see you as courageous, dynamic, and bright.

What Does Your Home Say About You?

Oh I forgot to tell everyone this

IF you plan on losing weight this year and don't want to have a zillion boxes of girl scout cookies laying around your house we have another option for you to still help out our troop. We are doing a gift of sharing program where you can order boxes of cookies for a troop chosen organization. This year we will be donating to St. Judes Childrens research hospital! So if you don't want to eat the cookies you can still order and help out our troop and bring smiles to the families and staff members at St. Judes!!! Everything works the same except you wont recieve the cookies you order and pay for.

Right or Left?

I came across a website a bit ago about what side of your brain you use the most, ie left brained or right brained. I have never thought about what I am and never really cared. I guess that should tell you which I am but you'd be wrong if you went by that. I just took at least 6 tests and everyone one of the with 1 exception put me as being left brained. There is one floating around out there with a ballet dancer twirling and if you see her turning clockwise you are right brained and opposite (the last link listed). I don't think it is accurate though because I tried with all my might to see her spin counter clockwise and there is no possible way to do it!!! Take a test or two and tell me if you are right or left brained :)

http://similarminds.com/cgi-bin/brain.pl

http://www.testcafe.com/lbrb/lbrb.html

http://www.web-us.com/brain/braindominance.htm

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html

Brain Lateralization Test Results

Right Brain (32%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (68%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain

Are You Right or Left Brained?>
personality tests by similarminds.com

Braces

Mykenzie went in for her braces yesterday. She got a fitted for her palate expander and will go back in February to have that put on. She got braces on her 3 permanent teeth so it isn't really noticeable at all (she doesn't smile like she is in the photo normally, she is just showing them off). She had a good day at school today and said that all the kids wanted to see them no one made fun of her, which she was nervous about. She feels good about them but is still nervous that she will do something wrong to knock them off. We can not figure out how to floss with them in her mouth so we will have to wait to have someone show us either when we go back to the orthodontist or when she goes in for her cleaning which should be pretty soon.

Cookie Time!!!

We need to sell cookies! Seriously. Our troop does not collect dues it simply runs on fundraisers, now that I am a co-leader I know how important cookie sales are to our troop. If you want some cookies (don't forget they wont be in till Feb. long after the resolutions have been given up..lol) or you know someone who does please give them my number or give me a call. I would be happy to sell them some cookies. mama2drama@gmail.com email me, I'll be your cookie dealer ;)

What's new this year?

Dulce De Leche~sweet cookie with caramel chips and stripes

Oldies but goodies~

Lemon Chalet Cremes~ vanilla sandwich cookie with lemon creme filling

Trefoils~ shortbread cookies

Do Si Dos~ Peanut butter sandwich cookies

Samoas~ vanilla cookies covered with caramel and toasted coconut

Tagalongs~ chocolate covered peanut butter cookies

Sugar Free Chocolate Chip

Thin Mints

They are still $3.50 a box. I will turn in the order in a couple of weeks and they will be in the 2nd week of February

It has risen!

Last week we got a pretty little yellow card in the mail from our local Amvets saying they were in need of some things and if we put the stuff outside with said little yellow card attached they would come pick it up :) Well that is awesome because typically I drive around with junk in my car for a month before I actually stop at the Good Will truck. I already have a huge box filled but I thought I'd go through my clothes and get rid of some that A. I will never fit into again and B. that I know I will never wear. While doing that I stumbled upon a purse, a what was I thinking carrying this at the age of 26 purse (it had a receipt in it so I know when I used it) It is an old lady purse. So I thought I'd look through the others I haven't used in awhile. I open one up and what do I find? MY CALENDAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was all that was in it, my calendar and a pen. I have not used this purse in quite awhile so I haven't the faintest idea how my calendar got in there. I can not express the joy and excitement I have in my heart right now! I know everyone no matter how well you know me is reading this and writing me off as a total nut job but that is OK by me cause my calendar is home with me now. 2008 is no longer a lost year!! Karma baby, do something good for others and good will come unto you!!! Woohoo!

I am suffering from EHS!

EHS= Empty House Syndrome

My house looks so sad and empty now. We got up this morning and took down all the Christmas decorations down. Now my fireplace looks bear, there are no decorations on any of my tables. It's just sad. Now I want to go shopping for things to decorate with. I always wondered why this time every year I get in the mood to decorate.... the answer to that question is solved.


Happy 2009! It is the first day of the new year and it is now 3:30pm and I am still in my PJ's! I was up till 2am and I am so happy to still be in my pajamas. We had Candy, Martell and their girls over last night for dinner and hanging out. We had a bit of a food, a lot of wine played some cards, watched the ball drop and laughed at Kaylee for falling asleep on the chair full of coats. After they left I watched a movie because I was too keyed up to sleep.

Amber is coming out tomorrow from SC!!! My kids are so excited and can't wait for her kids to get here! The kids will be here on Saturday, so Amber will be here kidless Friday and she is bringing a game that we have been talking about playing forever!! Woo Hoo! My New Year is starting out pretty good :)

Did I keep them?

Last years resolutions that is. I just posted my goals for 2009 yesterday but I got to thinking how many resolutions did I actually stick to for 2008? Walk with me would you....

X1. Copy all of my VHS home videos onto DVDs (we bought the DVD burner last Christmas and still haven't done it.
Well as you can see this made me list again for 2009, so nope didn't get this one done.

*2. Get all of my pictures burned to cds off the computer, and keep up with it.
This was done for the most part. I got all of the ones that needed done and kept up with it through September. Not too bad, but not complete either. Still I give myself a * for this :)

*3. Get all of my pictures organized. They are laying all over my bedroom with all my scrapbook supplies. I want them all either scrapped or in photo albums.
Score! I got this one done! Photos are organized. I am scrapped up to December 2008 so again not complete but close enough. I got 3.5 years scrapped in 1 year so once again I get a *!!

*4. Figure out a better system for my kids school papers. I am better about throwing stuff away but I still have a ton. My current folder situation is not working anymore.
Check! This one is complete and I am still happy with my system!

*5. Overall get my house more organized. I have alot of things done already but it takes me no time to junk it up again and then I have to do it again. I have to do Kaylee's closet (the keeper of all the clothes that don't fit) every 3 months.
I guess this is accomplished. Truthfully I am not that unorganized. What I wanted to do with this was mainly the girls rooms and that is done!

X6. Keeping with the picture/video theme, I want to get more of Kaylee on video. I have truly sucked with it. I probably have at least 1000 hours of Mykenzie and I probably have 10 of Kaylee. It is really really sad. More photos too. But of both girls. I seem to only take pics when it is a special occasion anymore I need some more candid shots.
Nope. Did not do this. Now I am glad cause my video camera is broken and they would have been stuck on tape. Now I don't have a video camera so I wont be able to do this in 2009 either. I did get Kaylee on video with my camera the other day singing a Pink song, scroll down to watch :)

X*7. Learn how to work my sewing machine. I am going to go pick out a seemingly simple pattern and learn how to make something with my sewing machine. I seriously have had that thing for long enough, it is time to blow the dust off of it and learn how to use it. I have 3 pairs of pants that need hemmed and one that needs a zipper replaced and I would love if I could do it myself. Don't worry I am not going to try, I will pay someone for that. I am gonna start small people!
I did learn how to thread my sewing machine and I used it to stitch on a scrapbook page :) I didn't get a pattern though and actually make anything. What about the pants that needed hemmed and the zipper fixed you ask? Yep they are still in my closet. I am one step closer though, I found someone to do it. Now I just have to make the call.


What have I learned? Just because I make it a resolution doesn't mean I will actually do it or even think about doing it. Maybe just maybe I will be able to accomplish what I want to in 2009. Only time will tell I suppose

Well, at least they look like girls

Both of my GIRLS today had some bizarre things come out of their mouths today. First would be Mykenzie as she is riding Kaylee's new bike through my downstairs and then turning the wheel real fast so that it skids across the floor to a stop (yes she was told to stop doing that to my floor). Then she says "Wow! Mom you should have just seen me I was just totally smoking the blades"

What? I.Don't.Know.


Then they are both upstairs doing who knows what when I hear Kaylee say "Stop! Wait, I gotta put my muscles on."

Really? Girls?

This has nothing to do with them being boys on the inside but it is something funny that Kaylee said a few minutes ago. She made a small nativity scene for us for Christmas it is Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. She is holding Joseph and says "What is name again mom?" I answer and she says "And we call him the good chef right?"

Comic relief for sure

Ending 2008

2008 is almost over. What a year it has been. Nothing significant has happened in my house. We have had a pretty mellow year as far as things go. For awhile it seemed like we had something big going on every year, a move, a baby or something. This year we celebrated our children getting a year older and dreaded ourselves aging. We had several appliance malfunctions and drama that ensued with those. We got our leaky roof fixed and added some decorative details to our home. We took a trip to Ohio and one to Virgina, both to visit family. Though they were both very different they were both special. We made permanent decisions for our family and we purchased an investment property in Ohio. We celebrated the fact that we will start our new year with a new president that we believe will be a blessing for our country. We just enjoyed our lives and we are thankful for 2008 and all that it has brought us.

I am ending my year with the love different forms of art. I have found a love for crafting. I wish I could come up with ideas on my own but I am holding out hope that it will come in time. For now I enjoy seeing others ideas and trying to replicate them. I am getting back to books. I have missed them and have read few this past year, some but not many especially in comparison. Most recently the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. I never in my life would have thought that stories of vampires would interest me in any way but thought I'd read the first book to see what all the hype was about. I was instantly hooked and blew through the series in a week. My house was a wreck but it was worth it. Once you start you can't put them down and you literally get mad when you have to because of life and obligations. I made it to see the movie this weekend and I really liked it. Happy that it stayed pretty true to the book, however the book always wins out in the end. I actually came home after watching the movie and re-read the book :) Now I will be anxiously awaiting a new book. I am also currently in love with Mama Mia! I love the movie and the music was the first thing I put on my Ipod. I am getting ready to start a new book series and Lord help me, I hear it rivals Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I will be the judge of that because I love me some Stephanie Plum :) Speaking of, I am hoping (fingers crossed) that on Jan. 7th I will be able to make it to Nashville to go to a Janet Evanovich book signing. That is also the day Mykenzie gets her braces so I am not sure if I will be able to get there in time but I plan to try anyhow.

Now for the resolutions......

* Continue scrapbooking and get caught up. I am only a year behind now so hopefully this is easily accomplished.

* Find a way to get my mini tapes from my video camera transferred to DVD. This will be harder since the video camera is toast, hoping to find someone that has one with the same tapes that I can borrow.

* Get my house stuff finished. We put crown and picture frame molding up but never finished it, so the nail holes need filled and it needs painted. I would love to add crown to a few more rooms as well

* While doing the above, I want to get all the trim in my house repainted, it needs it, badly.

* Find lots of extra time to read and craft... wish me luck since as far as I know the government has not extended the hours in a day.

* Work out. I need to get my body in shape. Losing my extra ass fat would be lovely but really I would be happy to not wake up and feel 65 because my muscles are so tight and to not be winded walking up the stairs.

* Christmas shop all year long. Well shop and craft. I would love to be done before the season even starts at least for people outside of my house.

* Pay off some debt. This one is tricky and is going to take some restraint. We will see

* Take a vacation with my mom and my sister. Just the 3 of us. Trying to work out the details.

* Enjoy family time, life and my friendships.

* Get my girl scouts to earn at least 10 try its by the end of the year (would like more though). Well they already earned 1 but I want 10 in addition to that one :) Wish me luck, this will be tough.

Here's hoping for a fabulous 2009!

Christmas Crafts 2008

This is like the 100th post in the past 3 days! Not really but it sure as heck feels like it. Anyhow,
Here they are! Now that Christmas is over I can post the things I made. Some aren't that cute but the idea behind them was. The red gingham chalkboard, I promise it matches the my step mom's kitchen ;) The cutest things I made I am a moron and didn't take pictures of. I plan to make one for myself so hopefully I get it done soon. Otherwise I may be sending my camera to Ohio with Travis in a couple of weeks and make him take a picture of the ones I sent his mom. The notebooks with the post it note holders also had clip boards that went with the gift for the girls teachers (there was another set as well) but once again... no photos of that either. Oh well. The black tray is meant to set up on a plate holder and be used as a message board. I think the others are self explanatory.