A Transportation Themed Birthday Party

We had a big birthday party this weekend!  The big Number "2" was celebrated with great style :-)

First, I had to make some things in order to have the perfect set up!

Things like, the perfect "2" shirt!

A great Name banner!

Some awesome Photo Holders:

We also played this awesome game!

It was the "Car Game"!  I found 12 pictures of various Muscle cars and had them developed.  I taped them to two doors in our home and numbered each picture.  The guests had to list the year, make, and model of each vehicle.  As far as points, they received a total of three points for each "car" (one if the year was correct, one for the make and one for the model)  The high scorer got 22 points :-)  Lots of laughs with this game!

I ordered all of my plates, cups, silverware and the tablecloth all from Birthday Direct  I was very happy with the prices and the over all quality.  The plates were more "cardboard" than most so I wouldn't use them for a really heavy, wet dish though!

Of course, one of the most important thing is the cake and I had a lot of fun creating these adorable things!

I used Tonka trucks that we already owned.  Than, I used Candy Corn to look like the orange work barrels to outline the "road".  The sand on the road is brown sugar and I used mini-chocolate chips for the dirt along the road.  And the Dump Truck was dumping M & M's to build a new road!  I used some frosting to stick M & M's inside the dump truck to look like it was in the process of dumping :-)  I was very happy with my cake! 

And, I must say, the best place very to get balloons?  The Dollar Tree!

I asked the clerk at Dollar Tree how much the balloons were (I know, dumb question) and she said "One Dollar" to which I replied, "Does that include the helium?" LOLOLOL  Seriously!  I couldn't believe it.  I love the Dumb Truck Balloon - it fit in perfectly with our theme!

For a few other decorations, I used some 12 x 12 and 8 x 8 scrapbook pages on the windows as well as the Halloween Costume Pictures that were taken last weekend. 

I'll be posting the instructions for my crafts - the shirt, the photo holders, and the banner over the next week or so. They were all very easy to do!

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 17

Day 17 - Something you are looking forward to

Have you taken time to read some of the posts over at Katie's Journey?  There are some really great links to each of her "30 day challenge" posts. 

So . .something I am looking forward to?  I think probably the most important thing is watching each of these two little animals grow up!

My Little Elephant

My Little Giraffe

Now, some little things I'm looking forward to!
1.  Starting to babysit a friends 2 1/2 month old baby in just one week!  I'm so excited :-)
2. Learning whether or not my husband will still have a job once the company is taken over by new owners in a few weeks. (Yes, Looking forward to this so that the speculation can stop and we can move on and make plans)
3. Christmas!!!! I love everything about Christmas - the True Meaning - The Birth of Christ and what that means, the decorations, the cookies, the songs . .everything!!
4. The beauty of fresh fallen snow
5. Getting  something in the mail I just won!!!  I'll be blogging about it later this week :-)  I can't wait to get it!

Getting Back To Life

The last few weeks have been filled with birthday plans, crafts, cleaning, and preparing for the big "2"!  It was a huge success, if I say so myself, but I let a lot of things slide!  No "school", my cleaning schedule was put on hold a little, scrapbooking was put away and not even looked at, and it goes on.  Now, I have one week to pick up the pieces before it is time for the "Holiday Rush" which I'm hoping to not make so "rushy" this year.

Here are a few things I learned in my birthday party planning:
1. Remember to plan for the little family actual birthday plan:  don't forget the cupcakes and to wrap the gifts! 
2. Plan the food for the party weeks; no months, in advance and divide it up over all those weeks so you can buy the food and not break the bank :-)
3. Try new recipes before the birthday (don't worry, I didn't do anything really new but my original plan did!)
4. Remember, when planning games, don't forget some funny prizes :-( (At least I had the Halloween Candy!)
5. Charge the Video Camera :-)

Considering that we have another party in just 2 months, these are things I'll put into practice right away!

How am going to make the holidays not so "rushy" this year?  I have something called a "Holiday Control Journal" that I am putting into play.  I promise to share it :-)  It has all my plans for the holidays from cooking to cleaning to decorating!  And yes, I start decorating November 1st and finish up right after Thanksgiving with the goal of being able to enjoy December with outings, crafts, and family time. 

Which is why, this week, I really have to work on getting lose ends tied up.  Everything from creating some outfits for an upcoming photo shoot from what we own since I really can't buy anything right now to figuring out when we can go Trick-or-Treating based on the town schedules to organizing my mess of craft supplies after the mad rush to get some things done.  I also need to focus on my scrapbooking more than crafts for a little bit and try to get caught up.  I really want to have 2008 done by year end so I can get 2009 printed (it is done digitally!) and put into an album and get 2010 done too (it is partially done digitally too!)  So many things to get done.  I also HAVE to get our lessons going again, I have some new ideas to throw into the mix and want to use this week to get the next 4-6 weeks completely planned down to the list of needed supplies (and yes, I'll share those plans too!)

WHEW!  Are you tried? I am so I had better get busy to get all this done!

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 16

Day 16- Dream House

I do not really have a "dream home" picked out.  I don't have a file full of photos of rooms or anything like that but there are some things that I would love to have in my home.

I would love to live on the water, in a home with tons of windows and lots of light!

I would love to have a grand staircase in my home.

I also love the log home style of home.

I would love to have a huge master bedroom (that overlooks a pool!!)

Don't forget the "to die for" bathrooms.

And a big kitchen with an island

But for now, my dream home, is right where I am.  In my little 1000 sq foot home with my husband and two boys :-)  I could I dream of anything better?

Click on Katie's button on the side of my blog to see more!

Too Cute not to "Toot"

Another great week of great ideas out there in blog land!  Check out these great ideas

Here are some awesome Halloween treat ideas!  They all look good and, most importantly, fairly easy.  I love that she sends college kids treats at Halloween.

Click here to get the candy corn recipe plus more ideas!

I was really excited to see this idea.  A baby quilt using Onsies and T-shirts.  I'm excited to practice with this idea with some of my husband's old shirts first and than to make a quilt for each of my boys as a memory. 

Check out the full article at craftopotamus (don't you love that name??)

This post that I saw at "A little of This, A little of that" solved a problem that I've had!  My kids aren't "allowed" into the kitchen due to the gate being up (plus the stairs and the not so safe banister) so displaying their artwork where they can see it too as left me stewing.  Then, I saw this idea and said "This is perfect!"  Once I get through the birthday party this weekend, I think this will be my next project!

Check out the full post right here!

What about this great idea for a decorator pumpkin?

She gives the super simpled directions over at Young & Crafty

Last week I posted links to a couple different Treat Bags which I loved.  Than I saw this idea with a paint bucket and really loved it for my boys.  I'm hoping to be able to make one before Josh goes Trick-Or-Treating this year!

I found this idea at leemeandthegirls

I saw this idea and thought - how crafty :-)  I bet you could this stuff after Halloween this year on sale and use it next year!  Check out the full tutorial here

How cute . . . .errrr I mean Scary!

Hope you enjoy these great ideas!  Happy Crafting!

Week 4 - Making Your Home A Haven

 It is week 4 in Making Your Home a Haven.  Hopefully your candles are burning, your home is slightly more decluttered, you are praying for peace, and music is playing! 
This weeks challenge is to give your children a Happy Childhood filled with tender moments.  Tender moments are not always the quiet, snuggle in the chair moments - but just those great family memories.  We take time every evening before bedtime to play on the floor as a family - with cars, trucks, blocks, and books.  I also work each day to make sure my boys have loving memories that they can carry with them forever.   We also hug on our boys a lot :-)  Kids need that affection without a doubt!

Check out Women Living Well and read the devotional that Courtney has posted around this topic. 

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 15

Day 15 - A Bible Verse

Romans 8:37-39 - Yet, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Check out Katie's Journey for some more verses today!