Annual Leaf Jump

Every year, my in-laws have the girls over to do a leaf jump in their yard.

The girls LOVE it!

{Aren't they the BEST grandparents??}

Quote of the day: When I said that it sounded like their lucky day (because they had gotten the girls ice cream earlier in the day), Addy's reply was, "Every day is a lucky day when we're with Granny!"

It melted my heart to hear, in her own words, just how much she loves being with her....and I'm pretty sure she guaranteed herself ice cream for life with granny after that comment :)

This year, we also combined it with celebrating my (Wonderful) husband's birthday with dinner and an ice cream cake.

Here are some pics from the fun afternoon:

Ten Ways To Give A Gift Without Spending Money

I LOVE to give gifts.

I have said before that it is a gift to me to be able to give someone a gift that they really love.

And often, we think we have to spend a lot of money to make someone happy.

But often, the best gifts cost us nothing at all.

Here are Ten Ways to Give A Gift Without Spending Money:

10.  Offer to Babysit!  If you have children, you know what a treasure it is to have a date night and know that you won't have to pay a babysitter.  And don't just put it out there and offer, actually have them give you a list of dates that work, and choose one (or more) that work for you!

9.  Make a Meal!  Sometimes it's nice to get muffins or cookies.  But what really helps out is when someone delivers an entire meal to your door.  No cooking and no having to pay for dinner.  Awesome!

8.  Do some Housework!  Oh the luxury of having a housekeeper!  That is something most of us can't afford.  BUT, if a friend would be willing to come and do it for you, that would maybe be the best gift ever!

7. Write a Note!  Sometimes, the people we care about just want to hear the words.  Take time to sit down and write a letter and tell them what they mean to you and why.

6.  Become a Photographer!  Everyone loves great family photo's, but photo sessions can be pricey.  But with a decent camera and good editing software, almost anyone can capture at least a few great pics.  Offer to accompany them and their family on an afternoon outing and be their own personal photographer.

5.  Get Crafty!  Knit a scarf, repaint a frame to look pretty, or put together a really cool wreath.  We all love those cute little things we see on Pinterest, but we rarely have time to do them.  Try doing one of them for a friend!

4.  Give a Lesson!  Maybe you know how to sew, but your friend doesn't.  Or maybe you're a really good cook and she can barely boil water.  Whatever skill you have that your friend may want to learn, (but maybe is afraid to ask you about), is a great opportunity to give of yourself!

3.  Coupons!  This one is a no-brainer.  It has been around a while, and for good reason...it works!  Write a coupon book that the receiver can exchange for items.  We did this with our girls one year for Christmas and they loved it.  Some of our coupons were for: 30 minutes of staying up later, ice cream for breakfast, having a friend spend the night, and getting to choose what we have for dinner.

2.  Make a Scrap Book!  This one is great for anyone, but especially family members.  Collect old photo's, write down memories, and be creative.  We did this for my Father-In-Law's Birthday one year and I think I loved it as much as he did because I got to learn so much more about him while I was putting it together.

1. Give them Your Time!  If the receiver is anything like me, it's your time that means the most to them.  Take a whole day and spend it doing fun stuff with your friend.  And it doesn't have to cost a lot (or anything!).  Hiking, cooking together, watching TV movies, or just sitting and chatting are great bonding activities.  OR, if it's a guy your giving to, let him have a day just to watch sports or listen to his favorite band.

Do you have any other good ideas for ways to Give without spending Money??  If so, Please Share!!

I will be linking up with Top Ten Tuesday at Many Little Blessings and WFMW at We Are THAT Family!

My Super Sweet Six Year Old

My Sweet little Faith.

She is full of spunk.

She is singing all the time.

She believes in fairies and princesses.

She is smart.

She says the craziest and funniest things.

She loves her blankie almost as much as she loves her momma.

She is a snuggler.

She is full of emotion.

She loves to play pretend.

She wants to be just like her big sister.

She is very independent.

She loves Jesus.

She has the sweetest smile.

She is strong, yet sensitive.

She loves snacks.

She could play Barbies for hours.

She is inquisitive.

She wants everyone to be her friend.

She is a dreamer.

She loves movies.

She believes that her daddy hangs the moon.

She is beautiful.

She is my baby.

She is six.

Happy Birthday to my precious little girl!

The Ice Cream Extravaganza

Tomorrow my five year old will become a BIG 6 year old.

I'm still in denial about that.

But, I will tell you about the Ice Cream party we had this past weekend to celebrate!

I got this fun idea from Pinterest, (of course I did.  It's like I can't have one original thought anymore!), and I thought it would be perfect for her July birthday!

I had it all planned out.  We would have fun ice cream themed games and decorations and it would all be outside where there is plenty of room for that kind of messiness.

But then Ohio got all confused and thought it was Arizona for a few days.

And it was 105 degrees!!!!

Ummm, change of plans.

Pretty sure kids passing out from heat stroke wouldn't make for happy 6th birthday memories.

So, I ran to Target and got a slip-n-slide and a crazy sprinkler for the kids to play in, called all the parents and told them to bring swimsuits and towels, and set up the decorations and ice cream inside the best I could.

It wasn't *exactly* what I was planning for, but I still think it turned out pretty well.  The kids had a blast and my birthday girl said, "it was the BEST party EVER!".

Couldn't ask for more than that :)

Here are the details from the day...

We did pin the nose on the clown game first.  I had planned for pin the cherry on the sundae, but that didn't happen.

Then we read the story "The Ice Cream King" by Steve Metzger.

After that, it was time to sing to the birthday girl!  I had mini cupcakes for the kids, so she got to blow out her candle with those.

Then it was time for ice cream!

Toppings included: Chocolate, strawberry and caramel syrup, bananas, strawberries, crushed oreos, mini chocolate chips, gummy worms, m&m's, sprinkles, cherries and whipped cream.

We also had cones in case someone preferred that.

After eating, it was time for water games, and then the pinata, and then gifts.

And of course, after gifts the kids just wanted to play in the water again.

I don't blame them because I did too!

The ice cream table!

The fun ice cream bowls I found!

                                                     

 

for decorations, I made "sundaes" out of tissue paper and red pom-poms.

Birthday Cupcakes

My sweet girl and her Sundae creation!

Kids enjoying their treats

Water fun!

Whack!

Such a fun group of kids!

Top Ten Tuesday: Summer Birthday Party Ideas for Kids

I know you might be thinking that it's too early to be planning a summer birthday party, but I would disagree.

First of all because it gets you thinking warm thoughts, and that alone is a good enough reason.

But also because the earlier you start planning, the more money you can save, (by buying when things are on sale instead of last minute!), and the more organized you can be!

So here is my list of Top ten Summer Birthday Party Ideas for kids!


10. A Swimming/Beach theme!  My friend over at Amy for Him did this last year and it was a HUGE success.  She decorated with sand and shells and gave out sand pails filled with treats for the favors.  The kids loved it!

picture via: http://amyforhim.blogspot.com/

9.  A Camping theme!  All kids love the adventure of camping, and I'm sure that this would be a big hit, especially with boys!  Some ideas are to have a bonfire and lets the kids roast hot dogs and marshmallows, (or you could even have a smores bar!), decorate with lanterns and canteens etc., and have a big tent set up that the kids could play in!  Here's a site with some fun ideas!

picture via: http://www.eventlucky.com/?p=4181

8. A Carnival theme!  This is a great idea for young children!  You could have different carnival style games set up (ring toss, fish for the prize, cake walk, etc.), and serve carnival treats like popcorn and cotton candy! 

picture via: http://bellyfeathersparty.blogspot.com/2010/10/carnival-party-ideas.html

7.  A Park Party!  This is a great idea if you can't/don't want to have the party at your home.  Most local parks have shelters that you can rent and the entertainment is already built in!  These are easy because you can order pizza or can do food picnic style!

picture via: http://tbkidsclothing.com/tag/childrens-birthday-party/

6.  Hawaiian Luau Party!  This is great for girls who are a little older.  My sister did this for my niece and sent invitations like a message in a bottle, and decorated with lots of bright colors and fresh flowers!  The food should be tropical and don't forget the music and lei's!  Here's a site if you need a little help with the planning!

5.  Summer Garden Party!  This is a really sweet theme with lots of possibilities.  You could do fun finger foods, different flavored lemonades, and lots of plants and fresh flowers around. 

picture via: http://www.thetomkatstudio.com/sweet-customers-chloes-flower-garden-first-birthday-party/

4.  Pirate Theme!  This can be done both indoors and outdoors, but boys will definitely love getting into this theme.  Make sure to have head scarves and eye patches for all the kids and do games with a pirate theme.  You could download the Pirates of The Caribbean theme music and if you're really into it, build a pirate ship out of cardboard for the kids to play in!

gift bag via: http://littlelazy.purposemedia.co.uk/toys-games/party-time/pirate-party-bags

3.  Water Fun!  This is a great party for super hot days!  You can do different water games like water balloon toss, slip-n-slide,  dancing through the sprinkler, a water obstacle course, and end the day with a fun water fight! 

2.  Outdoor Olympics Theme!  This is a great one for boys and girls!  You set up tons of games that the kids compete in Olympic style.  Some suggestions are:  Sack races, badminton, relay races, balance beam walking, and discus throw!   Make sure and have lots of medals to give out, and trophies, banners and the ceremonial torch for decorations. Here is a site that has lots of suggestions!

1. An Ice Cream Social!  This is the one I am planning to do with my daughter this year (she'll be six!).  I am still thinking through ideas, but for sure we will have an ENORMOUS ice cream sundae bar, an ice cream cone pinata, and ice cream themed games like pin the cherry on the sundae.  Because summer and ice cream just go perfect together!

picture via: http://www.theblueowl.com/maryssweetshoppe/icecreambday.php

So tell me, do you have a summer birthday theme to share? 


I'll be linking up with Oh Amanda for Top Ten Tuesday and We are THAT Family!  Be sure to check them out!   

The Birthday Weekend

Last Friday was Addy's 8th Birthday.

What?  It feels strange to even type that.

How in THE WORLD could I have an 8-year-old?

Because I am clearly not older than 25.

Or so...

Ahem.  Anyhoo, it was a weekend full of birthdayness.

Friday evening we had a small family party.  I made all of Addy's favorite foods, which included mini corndogs, mac and cheese, (the boxed kind), mini sloppy joes, chips, and veggies and dip.

Obviously my kids have gourmet tastes.

But we did have cake!

In fact, we had this FABULOUS cake made by my friend Cortney from Sweet Top Cakery! 

After then it was time for presents.  Which, by the way, is getting more difficult.

I am finding that buying for an eight-year-old is delicate business.  She still wants toys, but not baby toys. 

Which seems to be every toy.

And while she is beginning to like clothes as gifts, she is VERY picky about the clothes she gets.

Apparently, only skinny jeans,  leggings, and "cute tops" (I wasn't aware I was buying "uncute" tops?), are acceptable choices.

I did the best I could.

But we also bought her new bedding because she recently inherited our queen size bed.  And grey is not a cool color for an eight year old girl's bedding.  (At least I know that...)

Saturday was her friend party.  Addy wanted to have a slumber party, and that was fine with me, but I had to limit the number of girls invited.  Because if Addy had it her way, we would have had 25 girls here.

I have to draw the line somewhere.

Since she pretty much planned the entire thing herself, I wanted some element of surprise for her.  I found this super cute idea of a candy bar on Pinterest, and I knew she would love it.


While my husband took Addy and her younger sister out for the afternoon, I decorated and set up the bar.

SHE LOVED IT!!!!

In fact, she said it was her favorite part of the party.

Yay for mom!!!

The girls had so much fun together, and I had fun watching them.

They painted their nails and made these cute little sleeping masks.

They made their own pizza's and chowed down on fruit, veggies, and chips for dinner.

Then we had yummy cookie cake and Opened Presents.

They watched movies, ate popcorn and danced to music.

They laughed, and were silly and talked about clothes, and music all their favorite things.

They stayed up SUPER late, (1am), and played games like truth or dare and would you rather, (with mom's supervision of course!).

They slept in late (8am), and then had cinnamon rolls and smoothies for breakfast.

I would say it was pretty close to perfect!

Oh Happy Day

Our little Faith celebrated her 5th Birthday on Sunday, and OH what a happy day it was! 

(***If you missed the post on Sunday with her special story, I urge you to check it out!  She is one special baby girl!***)

The day was filled with all things that Faith loves:


Streamers to decorate her doorway

Donuts for breakfast

A NEW DSi!!

A Cheerleading and gymnastics Birthday party with all her friends

Chocolate and Pink Cupcakes

And a Pizza party at home with family later in the evening.

And as we prayed before bed that night, she said that she had a great day full of parties and gifts, but that the very BEST present was being with friends and family!  Now *that* was a present for momma :)