Graduation – causemonisays

With my little one’s Pre-K Graduation rapidly approaching, I have been prepping the teacher appreciation gifts to be given out this week. After scouring Pinterest for several days, I was surprisingly not inspired immediately, as I normally would be with such a wonderful website. My biggest problem was that I just couldn’t find anything that I had truly liked to put everything in. While I generally love mason jars, I just didn’t feel like using one nor did I want a basket or some other pencil-esque design that they wouldn’t like.
Finally I decided to just go with a cosmetic bag from Forever 21 and selected a different one for each teacher. Personally, these things are awesome and great for multiple uses.

The other items purchased: bath salts, eos lip balm, hand sanitizer, body cream and a starbucks gift card. All of which are items I would be very glad to receive.

Then I wrapped everything neatly together in cellophane in order to make it easy to place in each bag.

Since I have a large supply of ribbon, I used different bow for each of the bags and then personalized the card from my daughter. I color coordinated the cards (sort of) to match the bags. I used photo paper for the cards because it looked much better and was of course thicker than regular copy paper.

My personalized teacher appreciation gift, all for under $18.00. Obviously the price will also be dependent on how much you add to the starbucks card, but I put $6.00 on each. If anyone would like the template, I would be happy to post it.

With my 14 year old’s graduation ceremony behind me, I can honestly say that I am able to walk away with a wealth of newfound ~~knowledge~~ information.

1. Candy leis at a mostly caucasian ceremony makes you look like the most asian person there, even though you already were to begin with.

2. Today’s eighth grade ceremony may have honestly been longer than a college graduate’s ceremony. Actually it definitely was.

3. Scheduling a photo appointment matters not when they do not go based on appointments but rather whoever wants to go next. Their organization was somewhat to be desired but having a one person show for several appointments may not have been the best game plan.

4. $140 dress, $45 in alterations, $40 shoes, $40 undergarments, $24 shawl, $130 hair = a very happy mother because the money spending has temporarily ceased.

I don’t mean to come off as such a critic regarding certain things, but to me organization in life is key. The fact that we made it to the church on time was a feat in itself and deserves the you-are-awesome acknowledgment.

All in all it was a happy day for the daughter as well as a foreshadowing of what to expect in the years to come, both emotionally and monetarily.

Congratulations to the OMS 8th grade graduates!