Hello Again

I am endeavoring to stay up on my blog for my dear sister's sake-unbeknownst to me, she tries to read my blog every day--I have not posted in four months. Why I picked Easter weekend to update I do not know.

I have done a few makeovers in my house, but don't have pictures on my computer yet. Soon, very soon.

Thinking about the cross and what this weekend means to me. Every year I try to put myself in the place of Jesus' followers 2,000 years ago. What would today have been like not knowing that tomorrow is coming? I imagine sadness, disillusionment, disappointment...a lost feeling like, now what? I followed Jesus all over the country for the last three years. I gave up my family for him, and now he's dead. I don't know where to go from here.

Thankfully, I know tomorrow's coming and I am so thankful for the Resurrection!!!

Coffee and Chocolate Birthday Party

My birthday and my husband's are both in November, just days apart, so this year we decided to combine our birthdays and have one get-together. We did a coffee and chocolate theme (these are a few of my favorite things!) and pulled that theme into the decorating.

We had a dessert table with all types of chocolate goodies on it including a completely raw chocolate torte--it truly was heavenly! My mother-in-law made the "birthday cake" centerpiece--it turned out beautiful! It was a pretty simple party, but we all had a good time and were pretty caffeined-out when it was over!

I am linking this party up to the Celebration Inspiration Party. Head on over there and check out all the great parties!

Down at The Farm

The birthday boy getting ready for his first taste of sugar!

For my son's first birthday I did a "Down at the Farm" theme. The colors were red, blue and white. His birthday is in late June, so we did a full-on summer BBQ. We had hot dogs, corn on the cob and potato salad, with a green bean salad and watermelon. My mother-in-law brought a beautiful fruit bouquet that she made. The food table was covered with a red and white checked tablecloth and I used wicker baskets and buckets for the food. We served lemonade from a jar.

I had a lot of help from my sisters both ahead of time and on the day of the party. We covered the large gate to their backyard with a cardboard sheet painted to look like a large farm gate and put a sign on it that said "Welcome to The Farm". I did not get a picture of that, unfortunately!

We made a horse corral out of cardboard boxes and put our "wild horses" in it, which I gave to all the children as take home gifts.

Here is a closer picture of the fruit bouquet made by my mother in law. It was beautiful and practical--everyone grabbed a skewer and voila! They had their own fruit salad!

I also strung a clothesline and hung small denim clothing. Between each item of clothing I put bandana pouches filled with goodies for each child to take home as a favor. My niece gave "hay rides" in a wheelbarrow around the yard. I went to a local feed store and got free hay to scatter around the yard and in the horse corral and barn.

Love this picture!

I think he likes the cake! What do you think?

The cake was a farm scene with a barn, pond, tilled up "earth", horse corral and pig mud hole. I used colored coconut for grass, a pond with real water in it, pudding for the pig's mud hole and shredded wheat for hay. I couldn't find ducks small enough, so I had giant ducks on the cake! Oh well! My son didn't mind!

We painted a box to look like a barn for the kids to play in. The younger kids had a good time with that!

It was so hot that day so we also put water on their slide with a tarp at the bottom so the kids (and adults) could cool off. Everyone had a great time with that!

It was a fun party, although a lot of work to set up and take down because it was at my sister's house. I decided to try to do simple parties after that, but my daughter's tea party was after this one. I just can't seem to keep it simple! I love decorating parties and setting stages for fun!

Linking this post up to Inspiration Party--check it out!

More From Tea Party

Perhaps the prettiest juice boxes you'll ever see!

I gave the boys these milk carton wallets using a template from familyfun.com. I considered covering them in some kind of fabric, but then figured the boys would think they were cooler this way.

The girls got these little purses with a couple of girly treats inside.

The Princess and the Tea!

I was really sticking to a budget, so I made much of what you see from what I had around the house. I did get some princess party supplies from Michael's--they had them all on sale for .25 per package! Love a deal like that! I got 8 party blowers for a quarter! I added glitter to them and a pink bow with a little bling to "princess" them up a bit.

The red and pink windsock that was hanging over the tea party table. The red prisms caught the light and gave it some sparkle.

This was one of my favorite pictures of my little girl from that day. She looks like she is at a "tiara fitting". She really had a good time that day and all the work was worth it to see her little eyes light up.

Do we ever really grow out of the love of tea parties and all things pretty and girly? I don't think so!

Here are some close-ups of the candy buffet. Everyone seemed to enjoy the party that day and I certainly had fun setting it up!

Linking this post up to Celebration Inspiration Party --have a look at all the great parties there!

The Princess and the Tea

The princess talking to her friend.

This is cute--the skirt on the chair looks like part of her dress!

The birthday girl trying to destroy the cupcake pinata.

What is this pink goodness that tastes so yummy?

Love this picture of my daughter at the candy table!

Here is the candy buffet I set up after being inspired by some I have seen online.

I made the pink meringues using a recipe from a Semi-Homemade Desserts book I have. They turned out great!

At the tea party I served sweet pink milk, pink lemonade, strawberries dipped in pink chocolate, mini cupcakes topped with pink cotton candy, almond butter and honey sandwiches and fairy bread (an australian treat). I also had cream puffs, grapes, pink and white iced animal cookies and homemade pink mini meringues. They were heavenly. For the grown-up ladies, I served home-made triple berry scones.

I created this birthday party for my daughter, who was turning 4. She wanted a tea party and a pinata. I was on a VERY limited budget, so I made most everything myself just using what I had on hand. I'd never made a pinata before, but I think it turned out okay! I made a cupcake pinata, using my favorite color combination, pink and green.
The little girls got to decorate tiaras, while the boys added gems to their crowns. The table was layered with three tablecloths sprinkled with decorative sparkles while the three-tiered centerpiece was surrounded by a pink feather boa. I made skirts for the chairs using pink plastic tablecloths. Sitting on the plates were small purses made from Altoid tins that I altered. Inside was a small pink pen with a bit of frou-frou on the top and a dainty pink lip gloss. The boys received milk carton wallets that I made from instructions at familyfun.com.


I put the table in our bay window and framed it by pink ruffled sheers. The table was layered with a white tablecloth and a pink feather boa. Beside bulk pink-wrapped candy, we also had pink and white marshmallows lollipops, pink meringues, and yogurt covered raisins. It was so beautiful all in shades of pinks and white.

Later in the evening all the kids got to take their best shot at the cupcake pinata. It was the perfect way to end a great day!

I linked up to Celebration Inspiration Party this week. Head over there and check out all the great party inspirations!