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A Dragon Birthday Party, and a word about first birthdays

First? Can I say a something to you new parents planning your little anklebiter's first birthday? YAY YOU! You made it through the first year....I'd like to say the next years will be a breeze, but that would be a big friggin lie. Now, I'm sure you feel all this Pinterest-y pressure to throw a huge, perfect celebration with everybody and their brother invited. You know what I say? EFF THAT NOISE. Seriously, your kid is not going to care if you have 4 people or 400 at his first big … [Read more...]

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It’s JAWSOME – Shark Themed Pool Party

A summer birthday celebration was made easy by hosting a private party at our pool a couple years ago. Rules didn’t allow for too many decorations so we had to get a wee bit creative to bring out our theme, but I think the kids had a GREAT time! Food:   We served fish filled jello cups, shark shaped fruit salad, veggies, chips and chum (watermelon kool-aid). TIP: When carving any shape out of a watermelon, the first step should be flattening what will become the bottom so that it can … [Read more...]

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Star Spangled Hammered?…. or Just Some Festive Fun!

4th of July fun doesn’t have to be just for the kids!? Keeping that in mind, we will keep this post short and sweet so you have time to sample a few of these ideas in planning your 4th festivities.  Nothing draws your attention to a cocktail like a splash of color or fancy garnishes. Here are a few Pinterest Inspired drink ideas to spice up the adult bevi’s this 4th of July. Boozy Bomb Pop from Simply Fresh Cooking Yes -- you guessed it, not only do they look like the childhood … [Read more...]

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You Say Tomato…..

If you are a tomato fan like I am, you know there is nothing better than a homegrown tomato!  Not only in gardening but also in country music -- wink wink! (Learn more about Saladgate here as this post is actually focused on gardening but I couldn't help myself!) This is the year… this is the year I will be a successful gardener, or at least that is what I am telling myself. Every summer, just around 4th of July, I whine about how I should have taken time to plant some tomatoes and veggies. I … [Read more...]

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Best.5th.Birthday.Ever!!!

When we started thinking about Lo’s upcoming 5th birthday, she was still talking about meeting all her princess friends from our first ever trip to Disney World earlier that year. Out of all the princesses – even Frozen! – she was still talking about Rapunzel. So off I went into planning the BEST.BIRTHDAY.EVER! I always kick off the party planning process with invitation research and my favorite place to do that is on Etsy.com. There was no shortage of Tangled inspired invitations. The modern … [Read more...]

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Birthdays Are For Making Memories!

We all know the famous saying "It's the thought that counts," and when talking about birthdays I find this to be especially true.   Now that I am a parent, I find myself looking back to my own childhood and our family traditions more often. One of the fondest birthday memories I have were these little funny packages my Grandma would prepare in honor of your special day. The contents themselves wouldn't cost more than a dollar or two but it wasn't the gift that was so special. As clichéd as it … [Read more...]

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Prom Already?! I Still Haven’t Finished Homecoming

By now, you may know I am a busy mom of 5 so even though I enjoy scrapbooking I don't necessarily keep up with it.  In preparing to order some photos I am enjoying revisiting my daughter's first homecoming dance and all the party preparations.  I must admit, as I sent my oldest child to high school a popular saying became my daily experience. "The days last forever but the years are gone in the blink of an eye." She is now attending the same school that both her dad and I went to which … [Read more...]

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Derby Party Win!

Thank you for some of the fun ideas and all the encouragement as I planned our Derby Party.  After sharing so many of the pre-party projects along the way, I wanted to also share some of the party updates.  I might be biased but I think the party decor was fun and festive. In addition to the vinyl horses and tissue pom horseshoe wreath you might have seen on Instagram, we also added paper lanterns and some circle garland from the Paper Lantern Store.  Once again,  3M command hooks saved the day … [Read more...]

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Kentucky Derby Fun for the Colts and Fillies – Kid fun!

With the Race for the Roses just days away, we thought we would share a few of the party tricks we are lining up for our festivities this Saturday.  Hippity Hop Horse Race - How cute are these horses?! I contemplated a stick horse race but came across these fun Race Horse Hippity Hops on sale at Overstock.com and couldn't resist. I love that they look dressed for a jockey to join at any minute! My plan is to have the kiddos name their race horse and pick a number. Maybe even pick … [Read more...]

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Mickey Monday – Monsters University Birthday Party!

I say Monsters, you say Party! Our family can't get enough Disney, and birthday parties are a fun way to bring some of the Disney magic to life for our kids. I should start off saying this wasn't your typical 1st birthday party of grown-ups ooo-ing and aww-ing over the birthday toddler. We did have a gaggle of children and adults to entertain. Most of the kids in attendance were over the age of 4  so we decided to make it fun for all with a little Monsters University Orientation  including … [Read more...]