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  • Simplifying Birthday Parties {Think About It}

    Simplifying Birthday Parties {Think About It}

    My kids are obsessed with birthdays. It’s probably a topic discussed at least once a day in our house. I’m not entirely sure why the fixation on this topic. I would love to say it’s because of how we celebrate.  After I posted about my daughters Jake and The Neverland Pirates party, I had a bloggy friend comment that she loved how simple we made birthdays, and didn’t go overboard.

    So of course, her comment, doubled with my kids talking daily about who they’re inviting and what the cake should look like for birthdays months in advance, it got me thinking. And you all know how I love to think!

    Think About It! 
     
    You don’t need to go into debt to celebrate a birthday. You don’t need to have food for an army (unless you invited an army).  You don’t even need to pay big bucks for a location.  Your kid will have more fun, remember the special day longer, and most importantly feel loved on their special day if you keep it simple.
     
     
    Money.  You really truly do not need to go into debt for your kids birthdays.  I will admit here, with our first child’s first birthday, we went WAY overboard. Looking back, I think boy we could have spent our money wiser with her. She won’t remember it at all.  As your child gets older, they won’t know how much you spent, unless you make it into a big deal as some sort of manipulation. So save some money. Keep the decorations to a minimum, or home make them. Bake the cake from scratch, or pick up a premade from a bakery.
    Think About It!
    Unless you’re a terrible cook, a homemade cake is made with love, and can even get the child involved spending time with mom. Take my son’s cake we made this last weekend. It was so simple, and extremely cheap. We spent a couple dollars on one of those new Duncan Hines flavor creations (caramel) because we were in a time crunch and my homemade frosting was an EPIC fail! Another dollar for the Happy Birthday decorations, and voila – simple easy cake! (In case you were wondering the theme it was for our son Lincoln’s first – hence the penny for 1 President Lincoln). We used a salad serving spoon to create the bumpy penny edge. Nothing fancy, tools we already had on hand, and cheap cheap cheap!
     
     
    Presents. Who has ever bought their child an expensive toy only to have it break a week later, or be forgotten about in place of a cardboard box?  I’m not saying give your child a cardboard box (though I know mine would love that!), but really think about the presents worth before shelling out all your money.  I also suggest, that if you invite friends and family to the birthday party, you let them know a gift is not expected – just their presence.
    Think About It!
    I don’t like my friends feeling like we just want a present out of them. All we really want is to spend time making memories while celebrating their life. Presents are fun and nice, and I’m sure the kids really love them, but is it what they remember?  There are very very few presents I was given that I still remember.  I do remember the memories from the day though. Having my BFF over to play just because it was my birthday.  Having all my friends and their mothers over for a mother daughter night because I turned into a young women and was no longer a little girl.
     
    Food.  Have you ever had leftovers because you weren’t sure how much dinner your family would eat?  Have you ever had leftovers from a party because you made too much salad, bought too many hot dogs, or filled your freezer with ice cream? 
    Think About It!
    Food at a birthday party should be the simplest part. If you plan a party around lunch or dinner, you’ll want to have enough, but don’t go overboard. Finger foods like a veggie/fruit tray and sandwiches are perfect for small children’s birthdays. Just do your friends a favor and find out if there are any allergies. You’d hate to only have PB&J’s for a kid with a peanut allergy.  Another of our favorite birthday foods is a $5 pizza from Little Caesers, and a bag of salad.
     
    
     
    Games.  Make and create your own games!  I remember my parents throwing me a Carnival party for my 8th birthday. It was the most friends I had ever had over at one time. My dad painted a bean bag toss on a piece of cardboard. We had a “fishing pond” made from sheets.  And then a bucket full of water balloons and squirt guns. Simple, easy and cheap. It was by far the best birthday I ever remember, that probably cost my parents next to nothing to put together.
    When we celebrated Princess C’s birthday, Mark put together a treasure hunt. Using a paint program on the computer he mapped out our yard, and placed X’s where all the clues were. We didn’t need a fancy one time expensive Disney themed map, when we could make our own. You don’t either!
     
    Think About It!
     
    Traditions. Finally my favorite way to simplify and truly celebrate our children’s birthdays are by carrying on traditions. Things like singing the Happy Birthday song are fun, and do make it special – but have you ever changed it up some?  You know like they do at restaurants?  I recall many birthdays laughing as my dad sang us this version

    Oh Happy Birthday. Oh Happy Birthday. There is Sadness in the Air, People Dying Everywhere, but Happy Birthday. Oh Happy Birthday.

    Albeit maybe a little morbid, and depressing.  I don’t currently sing this song to my kids, but I still have fond memories of my dad singing and everyone joining in.

    Another family tradition, that I know Mark just loves, and I have carried on to my kids is one where we all get to whack the birthday person on the head after singing this catchy tune

    Heavy Heavy Hangover, thy poor head. What I wish for you is a Bump on the head.  – Followed with a nice Bump on the head with their present. This is then repeated with each successive present.

    Finally, my last and most treasured tradition is our Birthday Dinner. For our birthday, we would get to pick out a restaurant – any restaurant – and go out with just Mom and Dad (no siblings!) for dinner. The quality time spent with my parents was priceless time not often found with 5 siblings. My parents made sure to carve out that time at least once a year for the individual child. I now very much enjoy taking my own kids out one at a time, to focus on them and the things they like. Talking about their life, listening to them tell us whatever is on their mind, and enjoying ourselves. This is a tradition I would encourage all parents to start. Your children will appreciate it the rest of their lives.

    
    What do you do to simplify birthdays?
     
    
  • My Baby Prince is 1

    My Baby Prince is 1

    Exactly one year ago today, I had just finished a major crying take pity on me episode in my doctors office. I was closing in on a week past my due date, and I was miserable. I was done, and I wanted my baby in my arms. My doctor must have taken pity on this crazy pregnant women, because only seconds before he was very closed to the idea of getting things started the way I KNEW and WANTED it to happen. *For the first time in my life, I realized crying actually works*

    I don’t do needles unless absolutely necessary, and I don’t do Pitocin because my body goes into shock. I do things almost completely naturally. The one problem I have is that my water never ever breaks on it’s own. Finally convinced that I needed this to happen RIGHT NOW, he sent me over to the hospital, and said he’d be there in a few hours. Hey, at least things were rolling along.

    3 hours and a little after my water was broke, I was holding a beautiful baby boy in my arms. After 3 girls, I still couldn’t believe this little boy was ours. We’ve had our ups and downs, and plenty of learning curves with a boy over the past year, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

    A few highlights from Prince L’s first year:

    • at 1 week old our basement flooded. My first day at home alone with all 4 kids. We also found out this day Daddy would be changing jobs.
    • at almost 3 months old we gave you a baby blessing at the LDS church.
    • You took your first road trip at 3 months old to beautiful Washington. You didn’t much like the car seat or long drive.
    • At 4 months old we moved homes, from northern Utah to south/central Utah.  It’s been quite the weather change, but you love being outdoors, so it works.
    • Without my consent, at 8months old Daddy gave you your first haircut.  It was an almost immediate change from brown to blonde as well.
    • At 9 months you had your first chest x-ray to decide if your concave chest (pectus excavatum) would be causing any problems. You look good.
    • At 9 months I also began feeding you anything and everything under the sun to try and put on some pounds. You didn’t gain much from 6 months to 9months, and it worried mommy (still does). Looks like you’re just going to be another fast metabolism little guy like your sisters Princess V and R.
    • At 11 months your sister pulled you down the stairs (of which you’ve been climbing too early for my liking), and you bit through your top gums. We believe this aided in your top teeth coming in so soon.
    • We began weaning to a bottle full time at 11 months due to your top and bottom teeth breaking through. You and I enjoy our time together so much more now.
    • Shortly before your first birthday, you were mentioned (not pictured) in the local newspaper with your sisters at an Easter Egg Hunt.

    The time has gone by too fast, and now my little Prince is 1 years old. No longer a cuddly baby, but a growing, eating, climbing, screaming, handsome little man. Everyone says he looks just like Dad – but to me he’s his own person, with his own little personality. I don’t know if we’ll have any more kids, so for now I’m enjoying every moment, every cuddle, every hour of sleep you let me have.

    Just do me a favor, and don’t start climbing out of your crib yet, I’m not ready for that!

  • Jake and the Neverland Pirate’s Birthday Party

    Jake and the Neverland Pirate’s Birthday Party

    Last Saturday Princess C turned 5 years old. I don’t know where the time went with her. I sometimes look at her, and feel that I’ve lost a lot of time already.  I still feel like she should be 2 even though we have 2 kids younger than her. I just can’t believe she’s 5!!! 
     
    In keeping to tradition with my family, we all woke up before the birthday girl to make her a special request breakfast (Chocolate cereal and a smoothie). We then carried it down to her room where we woke her up with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday.

     
    This is actually the first birthday in our little family that we’ve done the breakfast in bed thing. It was definitely a hit, and will be continued!  While she ate I pulled out her new birthday outfit Mark bought her, and got ready for a special photo shoot in our backyard.

    I’m working on my photography skills, but having a sunny day sure helped! This is one that just shines with Princess C’s personality.
     
    Finally she had to wait for her little friends to come over. While she waited…
     
     
    and waited…
     
    I finished up her birthday cake.

    I was actually pretty pleased with how it turned out. I used a box mix for the cake (chocolate of course). Between layers, I put some cream cheese frosting and a bit of my freezer Strawberry jam.  I then mixed some red food coloring into the rest of the cream cheese frosting to get the pink, and outlined and filled her bandanna.
    For her skin, I used this Chocolate Buttercream recipe from Savory Sweet Life.  Once I had her skin on, I went in for the details. These are always what get me. If I had planned ahead, I probably would have made the pigtails from some rice krispy treats, but I didn’t. So I used my tubes of decorating icing and piped on the hair strands in black, and the whites of the eyes. I used more of the buttercream for her irises, and then black gel for the pupils, nose and mouth.
    Take note here – don’t draw the mouth on while looking at the cake sideways – it will not be where you intended it.
     
     
    While I finished off the cake, Mark put together a treasure hunt – burned map included. 
     
    Unfortunately we overbooked ourselves for the day, so Mark had to help remove a tub, and I forgot the camera while on our treasure hunt. What did they find though?  Little gold bags full of pixie dust of course.
    That sneaky Hook always trying to make off with the pixie dust.
    The bags were very easy to make. I used some gold fabric my sister in law had given me, and cut it into rectangles. Then I folded them in half and sewed up the sides, turned down the top and sewed it with a ribbon inside. The tricky part is making sure you don’t snag the ribbon or they won’t close.  Add some silver and white glitter for the pixie dust. The kids had so much fun pinching a little dust out and throwing it over themselves and each other.  It’s a wonder our house didn’t float away in it.
    Of course we finally had cake and ice cream, and then the real treasure of presents.
  • Birthday Bash {Giveaway}

    Birthday Bash {Giveaway}

    Today is my 26th birthday.

    I had big plans for today.

    They pretty much all fell through. 

    Isn’t that how it always happens?  I wanted to do a lot of baking with the kids today, but once I got everything ready, I realized I didn’t have enough sugar.  Not even for one simple recipe. I would have run to the store when I made this discovery, but baby Prince was already down for his nap. I have the motto, Let a sleeping baby sleep.  So I waited. As I sat down to write this post baby Prince woke up.  So I am feeding him while writing…how’s that for some multi-tasking?

    Once he’s done eating here we’ll head to the store for some sugar, and I think some Wendy’s for lunch. My special birthday treat to the kids (and because who wants to do that kind of cooking on their birthday?  not me!). 

    As soon as we get back home we’ll get to some baking.

    Yummy yummy! My birthday treat to me
    Strawberry Rhubarb Jam anyone? I really enjoy canning, so I’m making time for it today!
    Jam slathered on a scone, yum!

    I was then going to make a Chicken Cordon Bleu Stromboli, but Mark’s brother and his family are still in town, so we decided to get together with them for a little barbeque. 
    Until my plans got changed (and really it’s not a bad thing, I enjoy spending the day with family), the morning was going pretty good. I got up and did my morning scripture reading with baby Prince. Then I took a quick nap on the floor next to him. When the Princesses got up we had cereal and a tropical smoothie (not my best, but it was decent). I also snuck in a pilates work out, and got the laundry going.  While I gave Prince his morning feeding I also read some more from The Gatekeeper: Book 2 in the Marenon Chronicles (my new FAVORITE book series!). 
    Now what would a birthday bask be without some presents?  Do you remember my PenFactory Review?  I got these awesome tote bags, and I am giving one away today! But I don’t want to give you an empty bag. So one lucky reader will get a tote bag with a book to read: Shaman Friend Enemy by M Terry Green.
    How do you enter this giveaway?  Easy Peasy! Just leave me a birthday comment 🙂
    Giveaway is open to US and Canada residents. A winner will be chosen Saturday June 9th by random.org

  • Birthday Parties on a Budget – guest post

    Princess C’s birthday is coming up. Next week actually! I’ve had so many ideas run through my head, and I still don’t know which idea to run with. It’s hard having her birthday so close to Valentines Day.  I’ve thought of having a party just for her. Or having a Valentine’s party and inviting some of Princess V’s friends as well. I don’t like inviting friends over and having them feel like they have to buy a present. Maybe I should just call it a playdate. Or we could do what we did with Princess V. Mark and I take her out to dinner and an activity, just the three of us. Perhaps we’ll do that anyways. I really don’t know yet. 

    Check out these 10 great ideas for some Cheap but still Fun birthday party ideas from Molly at Live-in Nanny

    1. Pool party: If you are lucky enough to have a birthday in the summer then it’s a great time to have a pool party for your birthday. Bring two dozen colorful helium balloons with weights on them. (Inexpensive weights can be made by adding some play sand to balloons and tying a knot.) Bring coordinating paper plates and napkins from the Dollar store. Go early so you can grab a couple of tables and cover them with inexpensive plastic colorful tablecloths. Make your own cupcakes topped with crushed graham crackers and a paper umbrella. If you’d like you could take some pretty pitchers full of fruit flavored water with fruit floating in it. Budget: $50
    2. Ladybug party: Cover round tables with red table cloths and set out round black plates. You can find red napkins with black polka dots and these would be cute, but would cost a couple dollars more than plain ones. Use red cups and decorate them with black punched out circles. Serve pink lemonade with lady bug cupcakes. Make your own cupcakes and frost with red frosting and using black licorice you can make the wings and you can make the spots with some black icing or M&M’s. You can play pin the antennae on the ladybug (draw your own or buy at the Dollar Store.) Play freeze tag outside or musical chairs inside. Play pop the balloon with red balloons with black polka dots. Blow them up with air and then each child has to try to pop the balloon by sitting on it. Budget: $40
    3. Tea party: Have everyone meet at the food court at the mall. Cover all of the tables with inexpensive pink table cloths. Set the tables with cute plates and cups. Serve pink lemonade and little sandwiches. Simple baby carrots and grapes can round out the little lunch and then bring on the tiny treats. The fun thing about a tea party is to have little bits of several things. Mini muffins or mini cupcakes, small cookies and maybe some butter mints in little paper cups will make a fun dessert course. Decorating with some pink helium balloons that can be sent home with the kids when they leave the party is a great favor idea. Budget: $50
    4. Sports birthday party: Wal-Mart has a great selection of plates and napkins for $ .97 each along with matching tablecloths too. So you’ve got $5-$6 in with the paper goods. Make a cake in the shape of the sports ball that is the theme. Footballs, soccer balls, or basketballs are easy. Juice pouches go on sale for less than $2 for 10. When the kids get to the party break up into two teams and play the sport that you are there for. Make sure to have plenty of water on hand and small paper cups for quick drinks. Bottled water is not necessary for this because most of it will just get wasted. Once the game is over serve the cake and drinks. If you still have time, play some old fashioned games like Duck, Duck, Goose with the kids in a circle or Red Rover, Red RoverBudget: $20
    5. Under sea party: Truly a fun party to throw. If it’s for a girl she could be an undersea princess like Ariel and they could wear tiaras. You could send all of the kids home with a live goldfish. At the discount store you can get buy goldfish for $ .19 each. If you’d like you can also buy a little glass bowl for the fish at $1 ea. You can play pin the eye on the goldfish or clown fish or whatever fish. Your child can help draw fish to decorate the walls and some inexpensive green streamers hanging from the ceiling as sea weed and you are all set. You can show the movie Finding Nemo or read the book version. The kids can dance around to music from the movie and do the fish dance. The cake can be a fish that is made using an 8” round cake and part of another round cake for the tail. Frost both pieces together and use candy or frosting to decorate it like a fish. If the child can help with the cake it will be even better. Budget: $50
    6. Curious George party: This could really be any monkey party, but if you do Curious George you can read a Curious George book or play one of his videos. You can pin the tail on the monkey (see a trend here?) You can dance around like monkeys. You can have this party at the park and play on the jungle gym and act like monkeys. You can serve bananas for a snack with some lemonade. Then when it’s time for cake you can make a 2 layer banana cake with frosting. Then put Runts banana candy all over the cake. Or you can make a monkey face cake. Using a round cake and two chocolate donuts for ears you can easily decorate the cake into a simple monkey face. If you’re at the park you can create a great monkey race where they have to run on all fours. Budget: $20
    7. Pizza Party: If you want to incorporate dinner with the party this is a great way to do it. Have the kids make their own pizzas and have some two liters of soda. The dough can be made at home for little or nothing and then pick 5-6 toppings for the kids to pick from. Then as long as the kids have made their own pizza you can let them decorate their own cupcake. Make the cupcakes and then have some colored frosting and various sprinkles and let the kids decorate their own cupcake. All of these things are activities and take time. Once they finish making the pizza you can put it in the oven and let the kids start on the cupcakes. When the pizzas are done they can eat and then finish up with the cupcake for dessert. Play some fun music while the kids are working. Keep the guest list small and you can send each child home with their own apron. Budget: $50
    8. Movie night birthday party: Maybe your kid is into a specific movie like Twilight. You can plan the party for after dinner which will save you money. Then set up a cool popcorn bar with popcorn boxes that you can buy 8/$1 at Target. Put out 3 different popcorn flavorings and 3-4 different mix-ins in different bowls and let the kids make up their own popcorn treat. Then everyone can settle in for the movie. Be sure to have bottles of water that you’ve dressed up with a cute label that says Movie night or the title of the movie. After the movie you can have cake. Try to tie the cake into the movie. If it’s Twilight you can serve caramel apples instead of cake. Budget: $40
    9. Butterfly garden party: Make antennae for each girl using headbands and pipe cleaners. Then have a craft where they make tissue paper flowers. When they finish the craft you can have everyone go outside and do a bug hunt. You’ve hidden a bunch of butterflies that you’ve made out of coffee filters and clothes pins. Whoever finds the most wins a butterfly net that you can buy for $1. For the cake you can make a butterfly. Start with 2-9” round cakes. Cut them at 2/3 and 1/3. Turn all of the curved pieces in and make the wings of the butterfly. Using colored sugar and sprinkles decorate the butterfly. You don’t have to buy colored sugar, this can be made with white sugar and a few drops of food coloring mixed in. Serve the cake with some inexpensive butterfly plates and matching solid colored napkins from the Dollar store and you are all set. Give every child a butterfly net when they leave. Budget: Under $40.
    10. Snowman party: These are best if you have a winter birthday. If you live where there’s snow then you can go out and build real snow friends, but if there’s no snow where you live then you can make snow friends out of Styrofoam balls and felt decorations. Buttons and other little doo dads will help make this a really fun project. For the treats they can make their own snowman face on a white cupcake. You can serve hot chocolate to go with the cupcakes. When everyone is done making their snow friend you can have a contest for the funniest, tallest, cutest etc. Make sure you have enough categories so everyone can win something. Playing pin the nose on the snowman is really fun too.

    Original article by Molly Cunnigham can be found at Live-in Nanny.  Article reposted with permission!

  • Birthday Winner!

    Birthday Winner!

    CONGRATULATIONS TO
    BECKY F.
    Thank you everyone for the Birthday Wishes this year.  I ran the 5k in under 40minutes and had a very enjoyable day with friends and family.  Part of my birthday gift to me is a blog redesign.  The Individuality is working on a logo. So don’t panic when things start to look different this week.  She’s shown me a preview and I am severely excited!!
  • Birthday with a Giveaway!

    Birthday with a Giveaway!

    Happy Birthday to ME!
     I can’t believe I’m 25.  I don’t feel young anymore, I actually feel like an experienced mom, finally. It’s interesting how excited I am this year for my birthday.  I remember last year, I was in a funk, and could’ve cared less if anyone remembered me, it was just another day (of course Mark and my mom surprised me with a night out..my mom babysat. It was a nice birthday).  This year though, I am excited and happy.  Life is good. I believe I’ve taken a lot of leaps this last year to better myself, so I don’t fall prey to depression so easily, and it is working.  
    I took matters into my own hands this year, and planned out my birthday the way I wanted (which is why I’m posting late Friday night, no time to get on tomorrow!).  My celebration actually started this evening with my brothers high school graduation. I missed my younger sisters, and made a commitment at that point that unless there’s an emergency I wouldn’t miss my other siblings.  Check! Only one more to go, in another 2 years.
    I have an early morning 5K planned with my sisters.  The race starts “promptly” at 7:30 and it’s about 30 minutes away.  I told my sister M about it last week, and she said she’d love to run with me, SCORE! I love doing stuff with my sisters.  It got even better, when my baby sister A told me today she was running it with us as well.  Can my birthday get any better than that? Oh yeah. After our race we’re headed to Jamba Juice for some of the best fruit smoothies in the world!
    We’re going to then relax at my parents the rest of the morning. For lunch my mom is cooking a barbecue to celebrate my brothers graduation and my birthday. Bonus here again, some aunt and uncles are going to be in town and are stopping by for the barbecue! I rarely get to see my extended family, so them coming on my birthday is a very special treat for me.
    Finally, the day is ending with a date with my husband and some good friends as we go to Boondocks for some miniature golf, batting cages, laser tag, and maybe go-carts.  After some fun there, we’re headed to the movies to see the new X-Men movie.  I mean come on, what could make this birthday any better? Running with sisters, barbecue with family, and a night out with old friends!  
    That’s right, it gets better – FOR YOU!
    For my birthday I am GIVING AWAY this way cute block I made at our Relief Society meeting this week (I mentioned it over here ).  No worries, I made myself one too, but I just had to make something for my bloggy friends!

    OH, you’d like to know how to win this? Well it’s easy! Just leave me a comment (make sure there’s a way to contact you if you win).  This is open to US and Canada residents.  
    Giveaway will close on 6/11 at 12pm MST.