Glamorous, Affordable Life

{ A Shabby Chic 2nd Birthday }

2013-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

I had so much fun sharing bits and pieces of Isabella's second birthday party with you guys and now it's time to share it entirely! We had a wonderful day celebrating with family and friends!

The color scheme was turquoise, pinks and neutral tones and the theme was shabby chic. You don't have to spend a lot of money to make a party look great and well- thought out. I get a lot of my stuff from Michaels dollar bins, dollar stores, Target dollar corner, etc. Once you've chosen your theme and colors, you'd be surprised how great things start coming together :)

Tags labeling food & drinks

Homemade birthday cake

Fresh flowers

Display from her photo shoot!

Thank you bags

Attempting to sneak a cupcake!

For the tutorials on the rag banner & skirt:

Vintage Chic Rag Banner

Adorable Birthday Tutu

Cupcake wrappers & straws from JoAnn Fabrics

Small white metal pale & bucket from Target

Mini picture frames from Michaels

Pink silverware lanterns from Michaels

Wooden silverware set from Pick Your Plum

Sharing this fun party at these great blogs!

{ MC: Helpful Tips for Traveling With Small Children }

2013-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers Julie from Naptime Review.

Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

If you enjoyed what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!

Now on to this week's topic!

What are your helpful tips for traveling with small children?

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I'm Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of two wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest just turned 4 and my baby is 16 months old. This is my advice for traveling with small children:

We all know the stress that traveling with kids can bring. Many of times before we boarded an airplane, I prayed for nice and understanding people on our flight.

Every time I have traveled I have enlisted the help of friends and family for some tips and secrets. Here are a few things that have helped keep our sanity over the last 4 years when it comes to traveling with little ones.

Plan Travel Around Nap Time: When we drove to Florida, we pulled an all-nighter. It was great. Averie slept the whole drive. Now, when we arrived Mommy and Daddy were tired and Averie was well rested but we made great time with only a few stops.
Purchase New and Exciting Stuff: I hit the dollar bins every time we travel. I buy new snacks and some new toys to entertain. When traveling by air, I always make sure to have a drink box or sucker for the kids to help with air pressure.
Pack Car seat and Boppy Pillow: The car seat was a must-have when we flew to Florida last Thanksgiving. We knew our rambunctious toddler needed to be strapped in at all costs. We were also comfortable with the fact she knew what was expected behavior in her car seat. Now, the bobby pillow comes in handy for babies. It was great for traveling when Averie was 6 months old. It supported her in the seat next to me and provided myself with comfort when holding her on my lap for 4 hours.
Ask Your Doctor: I had a pediatrician recommend Benadryl for Alice’s first flight. She did great on the trial run at home but was wide awake on the plane. Go figure!! However, I have heard urban legends of kids doing well with a little Benadryl cocktail.
Technology Makes A Great Babysitter: Pack portable DVD player, Ipads, and Leap Pads. I always download a few new games when we travel.

Good luck when traveling this summer! Hopefully, these tips will elevate some of the stress that travel can bring. When all else fails, just remember it is only a phase and one day travel will be easier!

Hi! I'm Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I'm a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 5, 3, and 2. This is my advice for traveling with small children:

We just returned from Florida, which was a vacation that included two four-hour flights with all three kids! I am happy to report that both flights went as smoothly as possible!

One major thing that makes our travels with children a bit less painful is our general attitude. When we travel, my husband and I try to keep the mood to a lighthearted and excited one, instead of the way we usually really feel - tired and stressed. :) Since our littles feed so much off of the tone we set in our family, this helps a ton right from the start. We try to point out every little exciting thing about the trip. Kids are so easily excited, so why not make the trip as fun as possible?

For this last flight, I raided the dollar section at Target. I found all kinds of travel-safe toys for super cheap! Tiny dry-erase boards, flash cards, books, etc. I individually wrapped each item and marked it with the child's name and the order in which they were to be opened, which I arranged strategically (for example, least exciting toy first because at that point they're just excited to open a present). I made sure NOT to tell the kiddos that they had a bag full of presents so that they wouldn't always be looking for the next one, and believe it or not, we didn't even get halfway through the presents on the trip there! This worked out perfectly because we had a few for the trip back also.

We definitely also packed lots of snacks... snacks are a great distraction for kiddos! Especially the ones that you can play with - animal crackers, scrabble Cheez-Its, etc.

My final piece of advice is... don't plan on reading a book or closing your eyes for even a few minutes. Set realistic expectations for the trip and plan on playing with the kids. Make it fun for everyone!

My name is Alexa from No Holding Back. I am the mom of Nayner Bug (male, 5), Jelly Bean, (female, 3) and Tiny (female, 1). This is my advice for traveling with small children:

We have some experience in this since we drive from South Carolina to Upstate NY once, if not twice a year to visit my husband’s family. 16 hours in the car! This summer will be the first time we do it with three children, and I’m not looking forward to it at all! But this is how we survive:

- In vehicle entertainment systems are a must! DVD players, good music, anything to keep their minds off of the road

- Pack lots of snacks! When all else fails, I give them a treat!

- Plan to stop at rest areas that have room to run. Pack a ball or something that they will enjoy playing with and let them run around for a little while.

- If you stop for fast food, make sure to stop at a place with a playground!

- Make a “travel kit” with books, coloring books and crayons, and some of their favorite toys. This works for car or airplane.

- Perhaps invest in a new toy or something that, if all else fails, you can whip out and give to them! (Not bribery, just positive reinforcement for behaving!)

If you have never traveled with small children before, the key to survival is the realization that you may have to make frequent stops and you are going to have to be patient. It is easier for us to travel on a plane with them than in a car, because there are so many distractions on a plane. But, we have found ways to keep them entertained on long car trips.

And you never know what may provide entertainment. On our first drive to NY when my oldest child was about 18 months old, he had a big time with a roll of paper towels. He must have played with it for over an hour, maybe two. First unraveling it, then ripping it to shreds. We had a mess to clean up, but he was entertained and happy!

My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous, Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 2 years and Christian 6 years). This is my advice for traveling with small children:

We love to take family vacations at least every year so it’s important that the kids adjust, so it’s enjoyable for all of us! First things first, I make sure there are plenty of activities to keep them busy while we drive or even fly.

Coloring books, dry erase boards, chalkboards, road trip bingo and other fun games here, magnetic puzzle boards and books.

Prepare snacks ahead of time. It will save you money while on the road plus you won’t have to stop quite as often and they’ll be satisfied! I pack a small cooler full of sandwiches, their favorite snacks, juice, frozen yogurt sticks and water.

If your vehicle doesn’t have a built in dvd player, invest in one! Our van doesn’t have them, so last summer we bought a dual headrest dvd player so they both get their own screen to watch their favorite movies. I try to surprise both of them the day we leave with a new movie. That keeps them quiet for the first couple of hours!

I try my best to make the environment familiar for both of the kids, but especially Isabella since traveling is still new to her. I bring things from home that she’s close to, like her favorite blanket, babies and a couple toys. I’ve found every time we’ve traveled and I’ve stuck as close to our at-home routine as possible, everything goes really smooth, including bedtime! That makes it so nice for Daddy and I. :)

Your Turn:

What advice do you have on traveling with small children? Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!

Need advice? Check out these previous Mom Connection topics:

Setting Goals with Your Children

Teaching Your Kids to Share

Getting your Preschooler Dressed

Balancing Blogging and Motherhood

{ Fab Pins of the Week }

2013-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Happy weekend :)

This week, my favorite pins are all glamorous- inspired!

I tend to like a variety of designs and decor, but when it comes down to it, glam is my fave!

Enjoy!

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1. Oh, the days of when I could actually have a white couch and keep it clean! Maybe when the kids are all grown up and out of the house, I can use my white slipcover! Anywho, I think this room is stunning. The matching mirrors, along with the ceilings, make the room appear spacious and open. I'm so crazy about fancy chandeliers and this one is just fantastic! The gold furniture, fresh flowers and blush pink accents sort of win me over too ;)

2. My goodness, I can only dream of having an outdoor space that looks like this! It is absolutely wonderful <3 nbsp="" p="">

3. Mirror, mirror on the wall... You make the room appear endless! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the original source of this picture, so I'm not sure on the size of the room, but if you have a small space and want to stage it to appear larger than, just add mirrors! They add depth and character to any space and I love the variety that they used here.

4. Now this is a glam office space! We still haven't finished the basement yet, so I still haven't got to start designing and decorating my office yet, but when I do, I think I'm leaning more towards glam-chic! I love the clean lines, sparkles, whites and grays and pinks! I could certainly create a few masterpieces with an office space like this, couldn't you?! (wink) ;)

You can follow me on Pinterest, here!

{ True Love Blossoms... }

2013-05-13T00:00:00.001-04:00

I know for me, one of my favorite gifts is one I can continuously enjoy. This year for Mothers Day the kids made and decorated bird houses for our Nana and my mother in law, but I wanted to give a little something special! We were going to be hosting a bbq on Mothers Day and I wanted to have something to give each Mom, so I headed to the local thrift store in search for teacups! I scored 7 di-cut glass cups for $1.49, score!!! Next, I headed for the local garden center in search for flowers! I opted for an eye-catching, small bloom, cockscomb. They were bright, beautiful and dainty enough to fit perfectly into the cup!

To start, add a small amount of soil to the bottom of the cup, remove the flower and roots from container, hold into place and fill with soil. I pressed my down to eliminate loose soil and to keep the plant in place. Water each day, making sure the soil is moist. I sat mine on the kitchen window sill where it will get plenty of sun and I can enjoy it :)

For the gifts, I used a small tag and wrote "true love blossoms..."; I hope they enjoy watching this flower bloom all summer long!

Sharing this project on these fabulous blogs!

{ My Mom Is...}

2013-05-11T13:43:00.000-04:00

In celebration of Mothers Day my husband, the kids and I collaborated with Zulily and took part of the "My Mom Is" and had a small photo shoot at home!

What is my mom is? It's a chance for each of us to show appreciation and express just how special our Moms are to us! Not only on Mothers Day, but everyday!

I hope all of you Mama's out there have a super special day tomorrow and have fun celebrating with your loved ones!

{ MC: Summer Activities I Enroll My Kids In }

2013-05-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from Naptime Review.

Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

If you enjoyed what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!

Coming on May 18th, we will discuss:

Tips For Traveling With Small Children

Now on to this week's topic!

What sorts of summer activities or camps do you enroll your children in?

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I'm Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of two wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest is 4 and my baby is 20 months old. This is what sort of summer activities or camps I enroll my children in:

Every summer since Averie has been a baby we have always done swim lessons. This summer since our new home has a swimming pool, the girls will be doing Self Rescue Lessons. If you haven’t seen the Facebook video floating around, you should check it out here.; It is amazing! It was a real eye-opener to how fast a child can find themselves submerged into water. I am also excited that Averie is finally at an age to enroll on Vacation Bible School. VBS is a week long of bible stories, crafts, music and fun! We are so excited! So other than swim lessons and VBS we look forward to relaxing and enjoying the sun! Oh, and did I mention packing up and moving with two small children? IKES!

Hi! I'm Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I'm a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 5, 3, and 20 months. This is what sort of summer activities or camps I enroll my children in:

I definitely think a successful summer is one that is full and fun! Since our children are still pretty little (our oldest just turned 5), organized summer activities have been mainly soccer, and we will be participating in Vacation Bible School this year. In addition to that, we frequent every park in this city and make a few visits to the pool as well! I also co-run a playgroup, so we have weekly activities through it. When my littles get a bit older I'm sure we will be swamped with camps and things, but for now we just try to get out and enjoy the sunshine every single day!

My name is Alexa from No Holding Back. I am the mom of Nayner Bug (male, 5), Jelly Bean, (female, 3) and Tiny (female, 1). This is what sort of summer activities or camps I enroll my children in:

We are on a really tight budget, so our activities will be mostly limited to free, or mostly free activities. I have the kids already registered for two vacation Bible schools! My 6 and 3-year-old both really want to do gymnastics, so I will probably enroll them for the summer and see how that goes. That will give them a planned activity each week. We are lucky that we have a pool, so we’ll spend a good bit of time swimming. We also always take advantage of our zoo membership, and I’m sure there will be plenty of trips to the zoo, the park, and picnics with the other moms and children in the Moms club. We live about 40 minutes away from a large lake and two hours from the beach, so those are both feasible day trip options. This summer I also plan to take full advantage of the programs at the library. The summer will be over so fast!

My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous, Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 2 years and Christian 6 years). This is what sort of summer activities or camps I enroll my children in:

Since Christian was about two years old, I’ve had him in swimming lessons every summer and some sort of sport. We always enjoyed spending the mornings at the pool for lessons and a little play afterwards, and then practice a few evenings during the week. And then Ms. Isabella became a busy little toddler and doesn’t like to sit still. I learned this the hard way last Fall when we signed him up for soccer. I spent both practice and games chasing her around. Needless to say, we will be taking a break from a busy summer schedule this year! I did, however, enroll Christian in T Ball with a little guy from his class, who also lives in our neighborhood. We’re really looking forward to that starting the end of the month. My hopes are that Isabella will listen to me a little better and be intrigued by Christian!

This year my husband thinks we shouldn’t sign Christian up for swimming lessons; he wants him to get comfortable with the water and swimming all on his own. I do plan on signing Isabella up though. She is pretty much fearless and it scares me to death! For us, it’s important that she knows how to swim.

Besides that, we plan on having a relaxing summer! Maybe take a couple of weekend getaways and lots of quality family time :)

My name is Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma. I'm the momma of 4 children ages 2-7. This is what sort of summer activities or camps I enroll my children in:

With my oldest being seven, we're not quite at that age where I can send my children off to summer camp for a glorious 2 weeks (while I sit at home reading, taking baths, and luxuriating in doing nothing). I always hear friends gush about what great memories they have from summer camp, and I've thought of sending my children someday. There are some amazingly legendary ones around the Austin area.

But for now, our plans for summer activities include gymnastics lessons, library reading program, and possibly swimming lessons. Horseback riding lessons are another option, but very few instructors around here begin as early as seven. Whatever our summer may bring, I plan to have a weekly outing or activity I do with all four kids....whether it be going to the pool, the children's museum, or just playing in the sprinklers outside. Here's to a wonderful summer!

Your Turn:

What sorts of summer activities or camps do you enroll your children in?

Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!

Need advice? Check out these previous Mom Connection topics:

Setting Goals with Your Children

Teaching Your Kids to Share

Getting your Preschooler Dressed

Balancing Blogging and Motherhood

{ Fab Pins of the Week }

2013-05-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Hello beautiful :)

It's Friday and I'm welcoming the weekend with open arms!

I've pinned lots of incredible inspiration this week, but lets get to my favorites!

Have a great weekend!

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1. This is such a charming little garden center. Having something like this on the side of the house or shed would make it easy to get to your go-to garden tools and have work space to do it all! I just love how it looks :)

2. My new found love: teacups! They aren't just darling, but they're also great to use as decor. Use as a vase for your fresh flowers, plant your favorite flower inside, or even plant fresh herbs to enjoy those pretty little cups everyday!

3. Oh my goodness, I will SO be trying these for our next summer BBQ! No bake blueberry cheesecake in a jar, yum! It would even be fun to set all the ingredients up buffet style and let everyone make their own! We love fresh berries in the summer, don't you?!

4. Determined my husband and I will be making a pallet sofa for our deck! It's an easy, DIY idea that's affordable and super cute! You can easily dress it up to make it comfy with store bought cushions or by making your own! Isn't it adorable?!

I would love you to follow me on Pinterest!

{ Fysiko Eyelash Serum }

2013-05-09T12:17:00.000-04:00

What woman doesn't dream about having gorgeous, full eyelashes?! I know I do! Eyelash treatments can be really expensive, but they don't have to be! I've been lucky enough to have the chance to review Fysiko Eyelash Serum.

Here's a little bit about Fysiko:

Fysiko makes eyelashes stronger, fuller and longer in 6 weeks.
It is made with natural ingredients.
It is safe for those wearing contact lenses.

I started using the product about two weeks ago and apply each evening after I've removed my make-up. Like I previously mentioned, full results take about 6 weeks. I can't wait to share my final review of Fysiko with you guys! Be sure to check back with me mid-Summer for results!

Prior to using Fysiko

After 2 weeks of application my lashes appear thicker!

{ Birthday Attire }

2013-05-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

Part of the excitement for me when planning my little ones birthday parties, is picking a fun, customized outfit for their special day! This year to go hand-in-hand with Isabellas vintage chic rag banner (here) I created an adorable tutu using the same technique!

You're going to need your desired fabric, elastic, scissors, needle and thread or sewing machine.

Cut out your number, in my case 2, and turn it backwards and trace onto the fabric, then cut out. I decided to sew my number one using turquoise thread (I still haven't busted out my sewing machine!!)

My husband got me this nifty tool to easily created snaps and buttons! I (he) decided to give it a try and it worked out perfect for this project. It's easily hidden by simply sliding a piece of fabric directly over it!

And there you have it! A beautiful, one-of-a-kind tutu fit for any princess!!

Sharing this project on these fabulous blogs!

{ MC: My Favorite Thing About Being A Mom! }

2013-05-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from Naptime Review.

Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

If you enjoyed what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!

Coming on May 11th, we will discuss:

What sorts of summer activities or camps to you enroll your children in?

Now on to this week's topic!

What is your favorite thing about being a mother?

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I'm Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of two wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest is 4 and my baby is 20 months old. This is what I love most about being a mom:

What I love about being a mother is nap time or anytime my kids are sleeping! Just kidding, I truly feel blessed to be able to fulfill my dreams of being a mother. As a young girl, I played house and dreamed about being a mother. I wake up every morning and thank God for trusting me to mold and shape these 2 beautiful girls.

Now, being a SAHM has it challenges so when those challenging times come and they come often with an almost 2-year-old and a strong-willed 4-year-old, I try to focus on the positives. I focus on watching my girls play and interact. They are forming sisterly bonds that will last a lifetime. I focus on them not being this small forever. That one day I will blink and they will be off to college and they won't need their mommy to snuggle and love on them. I focus on their little brains absorbing so much and learning and growing daily. I focus on all the funny things that my girls say and do. I really love being a mom! It was what God has called me to do, and I feel so blessed to be able to do it day in and day out. So when their toys are everywhere , the kids are screaming in the grocery store, or they just dumped a bowl full of cereal on top of their heads, I just stop and focus on all the good before my eyes. There are so many things to love about being a mom. I am truly blessed.

Hi! I'm Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I'm a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 5, 3, and 20 months. This is what I love most about being a mom:

I know we're all passionate about mothering or we wouldn't be here at the Mom Connection, but being a mommy is my absolute passion.

Since the question of what I love about being a mom sent my head spinning in all sorts of directions, I'll just list a few things for you. :)

- I love every moment of the "process", from pregnancy to delivery to watching them grow and change each day.

- I love the responsibility of teaching these tiny people everything from basic facts to behavior and manners to deeper things.

- I love seeing them grow and finding qualities in them that mirror my husband or me.

- I love the way their smile or rosy morning cheeks can completely brighten up my mood.

- I love their sweet, precious, wholehearted and innocent love for their mommy.

I am so very blessed to be a mommy.

My name is Alexa from No Holding Back. I am the mom of Nayner Bug (male, 5), Jelly Bean, (female, 3) and Tiny (female, 1). This is what I love most about being a mom:

It’s easy to get overwhelmed in the day-to-day insanity of having three little ones and forget about all of the things that we love about being a mom. My favorite things about being a mom are the following:

· Lots and lots of kisses and hugs! I am blessed with three snuggly bunnies!

· Giggles and silliness!

· Getting to relive life again and see the joy of the small things (look mommy! A caterpillar! Ooh mommy, look at the pretty flower! And so forth.)

· Playing and dancing and not giving a care in the world.

· Swinging with my little ones!

· Exploring and learning things that I never realized I had an interest in!

· Learning how to be crafty!

· Did I say giggling? The sound of my children giggling, and getting to giggle myself! That might be my favorite! No, kisses are definitely my fave!

· Made up words and expressions! Monkey cheese (mac n cheese) samliches, bathing soups, two nail polish, and so forth!

· Imaginations!! Oh boy does my son have an imagination!

· Celebrating milestones and achievements.

· Hearing those precious little voices say “I love you mommy!”

They know how to push my buttons, but man I love those three little monkeys!! :)

My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous, Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 2 years and Christian 6 years). This is what I love most about being a mom:

I wake up every day with a big smile on my face the minute I hear Isabella saying “Mommy come here!” My kids have truly shown me what living life is all about. I love when they call me Mama, surprise me with a kiss or hug, tell me I’m pretty, like what I cooked for dinner, tell me they love me, want to cuddle, and listen to me. I love to hear them laugh, love to see them smile, hold them when they’re scared, sing them to sleep, cuddle them close, hold their hands and provide for them every day!

Christian is at the age right now where he’s becoming quite the charmer ;) He’ll say sweet things and leave me the cutest little notes that just melt my heart! I have a memory box I keep all those little notes in and I know they will brighten my heart as I grow older! He has also been doing things around the house and at school that he knows will please me, which makes me feel like I’m doing my job right :)

Isabella is becoming more independent every day, and since she’s my baby it’s been hard for me to let go of the “baby” stage, but at times she’ll snuggle up to me and want cuddled and tell me she loves me. She is such a loving child and it makes my heart smile.

My name is Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma. I'm the momma of three girls (ages 7, 5, & 3) and a little boy (18 months). This is what I love most about being a mom:

1. Unlimited hugs and kisses.

2. Becoming an expert on all things kid-related.

3. Being able to stay at home with them and not miss anything...letting them know how much they matter.

4. Loving some one unconditionally...actually 4 some ones.

5. That I have built-in friends for life. Plus my husband, of course. :)

Being a momma makes me more appreciative of every other momma in my life. It's an honor and privilege to be a mother...my biggest blessings in life have come from my children.

Your Turn:

What are some of your favorite things about being a mom?

Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!

Need advice? Check out these previous Mom Connection topics:

Setting Goals with Your Children

Teaching Your Kids to Share

Getting your Preschooler Dressed

Balancing Blogging and Motherhood

{ Fab Pins of the Week }

2013-05-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

Happy, happy Friday :) This weekend is my little Isabella's second birthday! This weeks favorite pins fancy the vintage chic themed party we will be having! Enjoy and have a great weekend!

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1. Simply dress up an floral arrangement by covering a coffee can in your desired fabric or burlap! I love this idea and it creates the perfect centerpiece to adorn any table! I love the mix of feminine flowers: babies breath, pink roses and hydrangeas!

2. Such a creative idea to display a seating chart for your vintage wedding! This would also be really neat to do with fun games for a vintage chic birthday party! Super simple using a pallet and some sprayed painted frames from the dollar store or local thrift store!
3. I'm crazy about shabby chic worn furniture right now, and this piece is just perfect! The robin egg blue really makes this piece stand out, what do you think?!
4. How adorable is this shabby chic style laundry room! If my husband would let me decorate super girly, I would have a room decorated with the pinks, blues and floral prints!

I'd love to have you follow me on Pinterest, click here!

{ DIY Mothers Day Gift Guide }

2013-05-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

Make Mothers Day special for those special Moms in your life! Yesterday I shared Kids crafts for Mothers Day, and today I'm sharing 16 perfect, DIY crafts! Whether it be for a picture lover, cook/baker, hostess or gardener, I've got a little something for everyone!

Great gifts don't have to be expensive or hard to make! Keep it budget friendly by re-purposing things you already have, checking out the dollar store for supplies or a local thrift store. With a little bit of effort and time, you can have one-of-a-kind pieces that will be enjoyed for many years! So lets get to it..

Barnyard trio frame

DIY Terrarium kit

Chalkboard garden stakes

DIY tote

Stenciled picture frames

Roped coffee cans.
Could be used for storage or as a vase!

DIY Chalkboard mug

DIY Chalkboard serving platter

DIY Ruffle hand towel

Wood burned spoons

DIY lemon sugar scrub

DIY coasters

Washi tape frame

Sharpie embellished dishes

Personalized art

DIY Clip frames

Embellish any one of these fantastic gifts with the perfect card! Head over and check out the website Treat for the latest designs and easily personalized Mothers Day cards!

Here's a few of my favorites:

For Personalized Mothers Day cards: Treat.com

Well, what are you waiting for.. Get to creating!!

{ Kids Crafts for Mothers Day! }

2013-05-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

I love involving the kids as much as possible in making gifts for Mothers Day! I love receiving homemade gifts, I think it's so much more meaningful and I know I will cherish them for many years! I feel the same when it comes to gift giving, especially on Mothers Day!

This year Christian has decided he wants to design, build and paint a bird house for two special woman in our life :) And don't you worry, I will post about it as soon as he's finished!

Until then, here are inspiring, kid-friendly crafts!

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{ Vintage Chic Rag Banner }

2013-04-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

I absolutely adore preparing for my kids' birthdays! It's soo much fun :) This year for Isabella's second birthday, I've decided to go with a Vintage Chic theme with the main colors being pinks, turquoise and neutrals. I started getting my inspiration, at none other than the craft store! I headed to Jo Ann Fabrics and immediately started finding the 18''x20'' pre-cut fabrics for $1.99 each, in the perfect colors! I began mismatching different ones, until I was happy with the result! What am I making with these precious fabrics you ask? An adorable rag banner, that's what!

Here's what you're going to need:

5 different fabrics, each 18''x20''
scissors
yarn or jute

Start by laying out your fabric and cutting about 1'' strips. I felt like I was going to be cutting in my sleep, ugh! I used yarn for the base of the banner, cut to desired length. To begin, fold each strip of fabric in half, hold the top of the loop and feed the bottoms through and pull taught. This easily creates a knot and keeps the fabric in place. Continue for each strand of fabric until completed! Once you get in the groove, it goes rather quickly!

I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!! It's so stunning and perfect for any little girl! This adorable banner will adorn the birthday table, and I plan to put it in her bedroom afterwards as part of her decor!!

Be sure to check back next week for the full birthday party reveal!!

Photo by Rose DeVore

Sharing this project on these fabulous blogs!

{ MC: Teaching Preschoolers About Personal Space & Boundaries }

2013-04-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from Naptime Review.

Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

If you enjoyed what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!

Coming on May 4th, we will discuss:

Favorite Things about Being a Mom

Now on to this week's topic!

How To Teach Preschoolers Personal Space and Boundaries

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I'm Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of two wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest is 4 and my baby is 20 months old. How To Teach Preschoolers Personal Space and Boundaries:

Lately, I have been struggling with trying to teach Averie that not everyone likes to be touched and not everyone likes people in their faces. At times, I feel like a broken record. I even caught myself quoting the lines of Dirty Dancing (This is my dance space, This is your dance space…) to get my point across. Years ago, when I was in high school my mom and I were watching a show that had preschoolers walk the halls in hula hoops as a way to teach personal space and boundaries. Since, then my mom and I often giggle and joke when people are too close we say, “hula hoop!” Joking aside, I think playing games and using fun is a great tool to help model personal space. Preschoolers aren’t aware of the personal space of themselves or others. It is important as parents to model personal space and boundaries and to teach children how to interact with others. It is also important to praise, praise, praise when your child is respecting someone's personal space. Positive reinforcement is a great tool! Click; here for more great suggestions and games to play with your preschoolers. I also found these great picture books to help children understand the importance of personal space. I just purchased Personal Space Camp Activity and Idea Book and Hands Are Not for Hitting .

Hi! I'm Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I'm a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 5, 3, and 20 months. How To Teach Preschoolers Personal Space and Boundaries:

This is something that we are seriously struggling with at the moment! We are at this awkward stage with three preschoolers at one time, which means they are all home pretty often. We are also quickly outgrowing our house and hoping to move soon, which means everyone is currently getting in each others' hair!

When I can tell that my children have just spent too much time with each other and are fighting over everything, I usually try to plant them in different areas of the house with different activities: one in the living room with a basket of blocks, one in their room with books and one in the family room with coloring books, or something along those lines. I think this usually helps them realize that having their own space and staying out of others' is actually a pretty nice thing.

With any other forms of invading each others' space, luckily we are still at the phase where distraction is usually pretty successful. I find that when one child is getting in the others' face or just plain bugging them, it is because they're bored and need help finding something else to do.

What is your advice? I could definitely use some more tips in this department!

My name is Alexa from No Holding Back. I am the mom of Nayner Bug (male, 5), Jelly Bean, (female, 3) and Tiny (female, 1) How To Teach Preschoolers Personal Space and Boundaries:

To be honest I do not know if I have ever thought specifically of what I am doing to teach this to my children. I instill every day elements of respect and manners with the children. I try to correct on the spot behavior issues that are violations of personal space and boundaries, such as interrupting adults when they are talking, or climbing all over people. I think these are things that are taught by constant repetition and demonstration, and best taught in the moment. Since a preschooler has no general concept about personal space and boundaries, they have to be shown. And of course one of the best ways to do that is to make them think about how they feel when someone invades their personal space or breaks boundaries that make them uncomfortable.

My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 2 years and Christian 6 years). How To Teach Preschoolers Personal Space and Boundaries:

Such an important topic to discuss and teach your children! What works for some may not work for others! Everyone deserves to have their own personal space and feel comfortable in it! But this is something that is so hard when you have two children almost five years apart! Isabella wants to do absolutely everything Christian does, play with everything he has and follow him around constantly. Talk about personal space and boundaries… Going through this the last few months has been an ongoing lesson for all of us. I enforce respect, space and effort.

Respecting each other is important in any relationship you will have! When you’re talking about kids, they don’t see it the same way! It takes a lot of time and patience for them to get along and understand each other. Both of my kids are changing and growing so much that it’s going to be an ongoing task as they continue to grow!

Everyone needs their own space. Believe me, this Mama understands the importance of S P A C E. Once the kids are in bed, household tasks are done, and lunches are packed, I thrive for alone time in my own little space doing whatever I want J I want to teach this to my kids as well! I encourage them playing together and interacting with other kids, but it’s also important that they know how to play by themselves and entertain themselves, and that’s okay!

It takes an effort from Mommy, Daddy and siblings to maintain and respect each others personal space and boundaries. When kids are really young they don’t understand it, but it’s important to start teaching and making them aware at a young age so they develop this by school age.

My name is Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma. I'm the momma of 4 kids ages 2-7. How To Teach Preschoolers Personal Space and Boundaries:

In Tina Fey’s book “Bossy Pants” she says something to the effect of “some one who can barge in on you when you’re on the toilet is the BOSS of you.” In context, it’s hilarious because we all can relate to our kids (especially the little ones) not knowing anything about privacy or respecting boundaries. This is something we’re currently dealing with our children. I think back to my childhood and I NEVER went in my parents’ room without knocking, much less barge in when they were doing their bathroom business. So I think modeling respectful behavior is key with little ones....knocking on bedroom doors before entering, being a good example of modesty, and always looking for those teaching moments for them to learn and use manners. Besides that, I think once kids get to school-age, the personal space comfort level becomes instinctual, however we all know some one who could use a few more lessons on that, right? (side eye close talker) Giving children opportunities learn and put into practice these kind of “social rules” are necessary in their growth and development...and are good reminders for us parents

Your Turn:

Do you have any tricks for teaching preschoolers personal space and boundaries?

Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!

Need advice? Check out these previous Mom Connection topics:

Setting Goals with Your Children

Teaching Your Kids to Share

Getting your Preschooler Dressed

Balancing Blogging and Motherhood

How To Keep Your Kids Play Area Organized

{ Sponsored Post: 5 Audacious & Creative Card Craft Ideas }

2013-04-26T08:45:00.000-04:00

{5 Audacious and Creative Card Craft Ideas }

Whether you have a surprise birthday party or a baby shower coming up, you're really hoping to surprise the guest of honor with your present. On top of the gift, you also want to have an awesome card. When you want to be bold and crafty, check out these audacious and creative card craft ideas.

A Jumbo Card

Do you remember those huge pieces of poster board that you would use when you gave presentations in elementary school? Look into purchasing one of them, and then you can fold the card in half. No matter if you want to put a romantic or a hysterical message on it, the recipient is sure to get a couple of chuckles and laughs out of the size of the card.

Collage Cards

People love gifts that are personalized to them, and they enjoy knowing that the gift giver really put a lot of thought into the items. Therefore, make a collage of the recipient's favorite foods, colors, sports and so forth. You can tailor this a bit to the occasion. For example, if it's a bridal shower for your best friend, you can include pictures of her and her fiance together over the years.

Non-card Cards

Instead of giving the traditional card, find something that is a little bit out of the ordinary. It's always wise to have an identifying mark, especially at a party where the guests are giving so many presents. However, instead of a card, you could buy a roll of paper and make a list of all the reasons why the person has a special place in your life. Another option is to write out a message in pieces of candy or with those Candy Hearts and attach them to a piece of paper for the recipient.

Food Cards

Most people love edible gifts, and you can incorporate this into your card giving strategy. Let's say that you have a friend who absolutely adores cookies. Instead of just baking a plate of cookies, make a cookie cake. You can spell out a special message on the cake in place of a greeting card. Be careful where you place these baked goods though. They could get completely crumbled and crack if they are accidentally placed at the bottom of a pile of gifts.

Cards from Kids

If your children are going to the party, have them make their own special cards. They could do a card full of stamp art, or they might use a potato to make different designs on a piece of construction paper. Give them some creativity, but make sure you write their names on the card so that the person knows who made these beautiful little works of art.

These crafty card ideas are excellent ways to show your creative side and to have a little bit of fun. After all, getting gifts is going to be fun for the guest of honor, so why can't you have a little bit of excitement while you are putting everything together?

Author Pam Johnson is a counselor who promotes art as an outlet for dealing with stress. She also enjoys blogging and is a contributing writer for bestschoolcounselingdegrees.com

{ Fab Pins of the Week }

2013-04-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

We made it through the week, wahoo!! Thank you for starting your weekend out with me :) This weeks favorite pins are more home inspiration! I love that the weather is getting warmer so we can work on making our "new" home truly ours! Now lets get to it...

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1. If you follow me on Facebook, you will know that I'm having the urge to paint our, currently navy, shutters black! I love the rich, classic feel it provides! I love the shutters pictured here, clean, crisp and matched perfectly with the rot-iron lantern. What do you think?!

2. I absolutely adore the thoughts of stepping into my own back yard for fresh herbs!! These planters boxes would be perfect hanging off the side of a deck or if your windows permit, hanging from the windows! They appear full when in bloom and so eye-catching!!

3. These polka-dot painted pots from Positively Splendid are just darling!! I've been crushing over polka-dots lately, so it's no wonder these caught my eye! The tiered look provides depth and beauty sure to fit any front porch entry way!

4. Would you believe me if I told you these counter tops are concrete?! Aren't they AMAZING!! They are poured concrete, stamped with wood, stained and glazed. These are the absolute perfect match for what I've been looking for and I can only hope my husband will be willing to try this in our kitchen!!

Follow me on Pinterest!

{ Dressing Up Your Utility Sink! }

2013-04-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

One of the things I can't stand most about my laundry room is the ugly utility sink first thing when you walk in. So I was determined to make it pretty!! I'm going to share with you how I made this the center of my laundry room, in a good way :)

Here's what you're going to need:

2 yards of fabric
velcro fabric fusion, 2 boxes
iron- on fusible hemming tape
scissors
iron

I've been tending to use a little more black in my decor, so when I found this fabric I knew it was perfect! It has a hint of dark grays, black, mustards and brown. I bought close to 4 yards but only ended up using about 2 yards for this project. Start by ironing out your fabric, or throwing it in the dryer with a damp towel to remove the wrinkles. Measure the length and height the fabric needs to be, by making a small mark with pen on the back of the fabric. Cut your fabric leaving each side an additional inch for your hemming tape. With your heated iron, begin ironing one the hemming tape according to the directions. Once cool, peel off the paper, fold fabric down and iron on for your perfect hem! Continue to do this for any sides that need hemmed. At this point, I went ahead and added my velcro to my utility sink by gluing it on and let dry. I attached the velcro to my fabric according to the instructions, using my iron. I was excited about this, because the velcro is washable, and goodness knows it's bound to get dirty so it's perfect for me to remove when it needs washing! For us, we keep our dog, Lola's, food and water bowl under the sink, so I measured and mark where I would cut a slit to open that space up. Once I cut it, I secured the sides with hemming tape. I tied each side back using a small amount of jute I had on hand.

I'm really happy with how it turned out and I feel like it really makes a world of difference for my compact laundry room :)

Sharing this project on these fabulous blogs!

{ MC: Tricks for Successful Grocery Shopping With Your Children }

2013-04-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from Naptime Review.

Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

If you enjoyed what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!

;

Coming on April 27th, we will discuss:

How To Teach Preschoolers Personal Space and Boundaries

Now on to this week's topic!

Tricks For Successful Grocery Shopping With Your Children?

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I'm Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of two wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest is 4 and my baby is 20 months old. Here are some tricks for successful grocery shopping with your children:

I am amazed that grocery stores haven't caught on for the need for an on site daycare or supervised play area. How nice would it be to drop your kids off in a safe environment while you grocery shop? I might actually be able to make it out of the store with everything from my list. Grocery shopping can be very stressful when the kids tag along. I try to avoid it at all costs. I plan my shopping times during preschool or weekends. I have also learned that shopping is more manageable with one child than both children. A year ago, I published a blog post suggesting ways kids can help mom at the store. These 5 tips seem to have helped reduce some stress while grocery shopping with my children. Click here to read more. The best advice is to make grocery shopping your alone time and enjoy your time away!

Hi! I'm Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I'm a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 5, 3, and 20 months. Here are some tricks for successful grocery shopping with your children:

The best piece of advice I can give regarding grocery shopping with your littles is… leave them at HOME! Ha!

Unfortunately, this is not an option for many of us!

The best piece of advice I can give regarding this daunting task is to put them to work and involve them in the process! My kids love to take turns putting the food into the cart or picking the items off the shelves. Sometimes I will have one of them be my "list-holder" and another might help push the cart. There are always small tasks that can be given to them and to kiddos they feel like huge important jobs!

Another key element to grocer shopping with kids would be impeccable planning. I mean some serious planning, mommas. I write out my entire grocery list, separate it out in the order I will cruise down each aisle, and even Google to find out where exactly new items are located. We FLY through the grocery store!

One last thought: whoever decided to invent the car cart, place the mechanical horse at the front of King Soopers {Kroger, for some of you?}, and strategically place the free cookie halfway through the grocer store was a genius… genius, I tell you!

My name is Alexa from No Holding Back. I am the mom of Nayner Bug (male, 5), Jelly Bean, (female, 3) and Tiny (female, 1). Here are some tricks for successful grocery shopping with your children:

My preference is to leave the children at home, especially if I am trying to do coupons, because that can be so time-consuming. However, there are those times that I still have to take the kids. In those cases, I recommend the following actions:

· Give the kids a sucker or snack of their liking to keep them busy for a short while

· Have a specific list and stick to it.

· Move quickly!

· Engage your children by having them help put items into the cart.

If all else fails, bribery usually does the trick. I let them pick out one item – be it a type of cereal they want or a special treat that we don’t get often. That usually keeps them happy long enough for me to grab what I need and get out of the store!

My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 2 years and Christian 6 years). Here are some tricks for successful grocery shopping with your children:

Lately with Isabella entering the terrible two’s this seems to be a daunting task! It’s a crazy relationship I can say I don’t like having! Some days she’s really good and others she’s a complete terror. This is a constant work in progress for me! As soon as we get to the store, I try to engage her as much as possible. I ask her to hold my grocery list and I read each item as we pick them up. I try to keep her occupied by explaining why we need certain items and what some of her favorite foods are that I make with them. It never fails, though, if we pass a snack she likes she continuously asks for it until she gets it. I know giving into this is the wrong thing to do, but I do it anyways. Currently her favorite thing to do this with is Pringles. I give her a few to munch on and that keeps her busy for a bit. Lately though, she is not wanting to sit in the shopping cart which is a huge inconvenience at her age! I try my best to patiently work through it, but at times she’s screaming at the top of her lungs and I feel like everyone is staring at me! I try my absolute best to work through it and encourage her to remain seated and calm. Sometimes she has to cry it out for a minute, I continue shopping and continue to tell her it’s okay, and she’s done!

Christian is pretty good about grocery shopping. At one point though, every time we went to the store we would overwhelm me by asking for this and that. I had to explain to him the importance of not asking for things over and over again, and financially we just couldn’t afford everything he was wanting. Now that he’s a little older the only thing he really asks while we’re shopping (especially if it’s at Target) is to stop by the Cars and Lego section. I oblige if he’s been a good sport!

I’m finding out more, now with Isabella, that grocery shopping is a team effort and requires a good bit of patience. Try to stay positive, patient and engage your child as much as possible!

My name is Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma. I'm the momma of three girls (ages 7, 5, & 3) and a little boy (18 months) Here are some tricks for successful grocery shopping with your children:

Unless it's summertime, I reserve my grocery shopping for when my two oldest are in school so that I only have to deal with my 3 and 2 year olds. We mainly shop at either Costco or our local grocery (H.E.B.). My kids are usually pretty good if they have a snack...I mean, hello....I'd be wanting a snack too if I was surrounded by all this food we "can't eat until we buy it." After strapping them both in (double cart seats are a must), we head for the bulk aisle. I usually get them a raspberry whole wheat newton bar or some yogurt covered pretzels. Then the clock starts. From there on, I try to adhere to my list and cover the store as quickly as possible. As for going to Costco, we try to go right before lunch when they have samples. Need I say more? Right now with the ages of my kids, shopping trips aren't too bad (knock on wood), but I do remember those horrible grocery store experiences where I had more than one kid screaming, getting disapproving looks from all the non-parents around me, and sweating in places I didn't know I could while muttering under my breath why the check out lady was taking so dang long. Add a full poopy blowout to that, and you can congratulate yourself on arriving as a mother. When things go south at the grocery store, all you can do is Keep Calm and Get Outta There ASAP!

Your Turn:

Do you have any tricks for successful grocery shopping with your children?

Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!

Need advice? Check out these previous Mom Connection topics:

Setting Goals with Your Children

Teaching Your Kids to Share

Getting your Preschooler Dressed

Balancing Blogging and Motherhood

How To Keep Your Kids Play Area Organized

{ Fab Pins of the Week }

2013-04-19T00:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! I'm glad to have you start your weekend with me! This weeks pins are giving me a little inspiration for around the house! Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

1. {source} 2. {source}

3. {source} 4. {source}

1. I love the looks of the French- inspired kitchen! The beautiful neutral tones and french doors off to the side. I could see myself cooking many family meals here!
2. We started working on our yard yesterday and I can't wait to plant my flowers!! I love purples, cabbage and lilac are among my favorite!
3. Paint your garage door a fun color to make it stand out! I love this idea because we have an eat in kitchen and I will be doing this! Nobody likes that dirty old white door anyways ;) What do you guys think? Is this a simple, yet great idea or what!
4. This fresh flower arrangement is absolutely stunning!! Hydrangeas, ranunculus and garden roses make a smashing presentation!

Follow me on Pinterest!

{ Kitchen Picture Update }

2013-04-15T00:00:00.000-04:00

Since buying our home last Spring, it's like I want all new decor.. I'm not the only one this happens to right?! We put a good bit of money in our home fixing it up, so my budget for decor is slim to none! Instead of buying new stuff, I'm updating what I have! The pictures in todays project were a pair of pictures I bought when I first moved into my own place! I just wasn't feeling those dreary old flowers anymore and I knew just what they needed... Chalkboard paint!!

First start by using painters tape to tape off the sides of the pictures. To apply the chalkboard paint, make sure you're using a well ventilated space. Generously apply chalkboard paint in swiping motions (back and forth) until the entire piece is covered. Let dry. I recommend repeating this step at least three times for even coverage. Allowing the chalkboard paint enough time to dry, is very important!! Once fully dry, take a piece of chalk and lightly brush over the entire piece. This "activates" the chalkboard effect.

What I love most about these pictures is that I can change it up as often and I want! The chalkboard paint makes it super simple to customize for birthdays, holidays, grocery lists, and so much more!

After first coat!

In the process of drying!

Displayed the menu for a birthday celebration that weekend!

Sharing this project on these fabulous sites!

{ MC: Favorite Fun Birthday Party Activities for Preschoolers! }

2013-04-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from Naptime Review.

Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

If you enjoyed what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!

Coming on April 20th, we will discuss:

What are your tricks for successful grocery shopping with your children?

Now on to this week's topic!

What are you favorite fun birthday party activities for preschoolers?

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I'm Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of two wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest just turned 4 and my baby is 16 months old. These are some fun birthday party activities for preschoolers:

I love planning parties!

Once I pick a theme, I plan snacks, games, and treats to coordinate with the theme. Averie has had a pj& pancake party, camping party, and a baking party. Alice has had a pool party! So much easier to plan summer birthday parties. I am working on Alice's 2nd birthday party already. The theme is lady bugs. I can't belive my baby turns 2 this summer.

I get my inspiration from Pinterest and Parenting Magazine. They always have fun and creative ways to personalize your child's party. I buy all my party supplies online. I usually just google the theme and tons of suggestions pop up. Love the digital age! Google works greats for party invites as well. The secret to planning parties for preschoolers is to over plan your activities and to keep them moving. Preschoolers love to move and have a short attention span. I always try to have a table activity while we are waiting for guests to arrive. Then I plan mini activities that last around 5-10 minutes each! If they kids are enjoying an activity we stick with it. Some things have flopped and somethings have been a success.

Parties are a lot of work but very rewarding. I love watching my children and their friends have fun and enjoy themselves!

Hi! I'm Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I'm a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 5, 3, and 20 months. These are some fun birthday party activities for preschoolers:

Well, although I completely love planning parties for my littles, I am sad to say that I have little knowledge in this area! You see, we decided when we had our first that the kiddos would have family-only birthday parties until they turned 5. At this age, they could have their first "friend" birthday. Our sweet Emily did just celebrate her 5th birthday, but we held her party at a fun play place. This left nothing for me to plan except the dessert! Even though I really enjoyed not having the before-cleaning or the after-mess to deal with, I seriously missed party planning!

Although this was our family's first "friend" party, we have occasionally cheated on the family-only rule and invited a friend who's parents we were also friends with. In this case we have had a piñata {who could go wrong with a piñata?} and, another time, coloring-page placemats for the kiddos. We also often have dress-up themed birthday parties for the kids and their cousins to enjoy - the most recent was a princess and knight themed party. The kids always seem to have more fun running around the house in costume!

For future at-home birthday parties, I will definitely be scouting Pinterest! :)

My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 2 years and Christian 6 years). These are some fun birthday party activities for preschoolers:

I absolutely adore preparing for my kids’ birthdays!! It’s so much fun to make their big day special! I start preparing about three months in advance and start by picking my theme and colors, and go from there! Little ones really seem to like piñatas which is such a hoot to watch! You can buy them from stores like Target or Walmart or you can find out how to make your own here. Last year for Christian, we did a carnival themed birthday party which you can view here and we played games like ring toss, bean bag toss, potato sack races and pong.

This year for Isabella’s birthday we will play games like pin the crown on the princess, hula hoops, bubble blowing contest and balloon toss. The ages of kids that will be coming to her party vary in ages but I think this is a good variety for everyone to participate in!

My name is Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma. I'm the momma of three girls (ages 7, 5, & 3) and a little boy (18 months). These are some fun birthday party activities for preschoolers:

Over the course of the last seven years and four kids, we've thrown our share of birthday parties. Some were a huge success and some were just okay...but my favorite party activities include:

-Decorating pillowcases (Slumber party theme and this was also their party favor.)

-Lightsaber battle (made with pool noodles and electrical tape)

-Fingernail painting

-Decorate your own cupcake

-Water gun fight

-Piñatas are always a hit

-Makeshift picture booth with props (can print here out and use as thank you notes)

Your Turn:

What are some of your fun birthday party activities for preschoolers?

Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!

Need advice? Check out these previous Mom Connection topics:

Setting Goals with Your Children

Teaching Your Kids to Share

Getting your Preschooler Dressed

Balancing Blogging and Motherhood

{ Fab Pins of the Week }

2013-04-12T00:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday!! Thanks for stopping by and starting your weekend out with me :) Lets get to a few of my favorite pins this week...

1. {source} 2. {source}

3. {source} 4. {source}

1. The serene-feel of this bedroom is breathtaking! I could certainly curl up to get my beauty rest in this room, what about you? I adore the mix of neutrals throughout and that headboard is fantastic!

2. In love with this stunning entry!! It may or may not be because of my favorite flowers potted in front ;) Your guests are sure to feel a warm welcome when entering through such a gorgeous entrance!

3. I love it!! This is such a fabulous idea for small space or for beginner gardeners (me!). My only question is do the plants live long since they don't root into the ground? Not sure, but I'm going to give it a try and hang it on the side of my house near my deck area!

4. Fit for any princess! This stunning vanity is very easy on the eyes :) The neutral tones, bling and fresh flowers scream perfection!!!

Are you following me on Pinterest yet? Click HERE !!

{ DIY "Vintage" Tray }

2013-04-08T00:00:00.000-04:00

I had a little bit of "free" time this weekend, so I headed to the local antique mall... Fell in love with a few goodies there, but everything seemed to be so over priced! Any who, I found a cute vintage tray, looked at the price tag of $45 and didn't think it was so "cute" anymore! Needless to say, my next stop was Hobby Lobby where I knew I could find everything I needed to re-create that vintage tray!

Here's what you're going to need:

natural wood tray, $3 (with coupon)
two sheets of scrapbook paper, $1.08 (or fabric would also work!)
spray paint, I used Krylons oil rubbed bronze, $4
homemade decoupage (recipe here!)
furniture wax, I used Miss Mustard Seeds

Start by applying two- three coats of spray paint to the sides of your tray. I did a light coat on the base of the tray since I would be covering it. Let dry completely. Measure your scrapbook pages to fit the tray base, and trim. I opted for a beautiful, vintage looking paper. I used an elmers craft glue to adhere the pages to the tray base and pressed down, eliminating any bubbles. I love my homemade decoupage! It's the same batch I made last June, and it works just as great! I applied a generous amount of the decoupage to the top of the craft paper as a sealant. At first it will look very bubbly, but it doesn't dry that way! As the glue and decoupage was drying, I added thin coats of Miss Mustard Seeds furniture wax to the sides, inside and tops of the tray. The wax recommends letting it sit 3-5 minutes and buffing it with a clean cloth. Doing so created a worn feel to the tray.

And there you have it.. A "vintage" tray for right around $8!

Sharing this project on these lovely sites!

{ MC: Fun Family Easter Traditions }

2013-04-06T00:00:00.000-04:00

I am part of an AWESOME mommy panel with Cassie from Two In Diapers and Julie from Naptime Review.

Each Saturday, we will bring you fresh new ideas and advice about motherhood.

If you enjoyed what you read, we encourage you to tweet about it!

Coming on April 13th, we will discuss:

Fun birthday party activities for preschoolers!

Now on to this week's topic!

What are your fun family Easter traditions?

Here is what Mom Connection shared:

Welcome! I'm Julie over at Naptime Review. I am a mom of two wild, crazy and beautiful girls. My oldest just turned 4 and my baby is 16 months old. These are our family's Easter traditions:

Easter is my favorite holiday and favorite time to share with my family. We love doing outside activities as well as doing things that teach my girls about Christ. Each year, we visit Easter Village in Purina Farms. Unfortunately, this year, weather was yucky! Hopefully next year we will be able to go as a family and carry on the spring tradition. Of course, we dye Easter eggs and visit the bunny. However, Easter is far more than colored eggs, baby animals and a man in a bunny suit. We really spend the entire month before Easter learning how Jesus spent his last week on Earth and the importance of his sacrifice. We talk about Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, serving others and loving our neighbors. Resurrection Eggs is a great resource for teaching all this. Averie and I start going through the eggs and sharing the Easter story a few weeks before Easter. It is amazing how much this 4-year-old knows about the Easter story. I have a feeling she will be schooling me one day. Each year, we make resurrection biscuits too. These yummy rolls not only teach a valuable message but are supper yummy to enjoy. Not only do we enjoy delicious treats, we bake something and share with our neighbors. We load up the wagon and go door to door. Click here to see what we have shared in the past.

As mentioned before Easter is my favorite holiday. I really spend a lot of time thinking of Jesus during the month with quiet time, special Seder services at church, and serving more at church. Each year my husband and I watch The Passion of the Christ . The movie really disturbs me and as my relationship with Christ grows and grows, it really upsets me, however, I think it is important to watch and see how he suffered for us.

Easter is such a wonderful time and holiday. I truly love spending it with my girls and family. Seeing how much Averie has absorbed and learned about Jesus just shows that the month-long celebration is worth it. I am looking forward to getting Alice more involved with our Easter traditions next year.

Hi! I'm Cassie from Two In Diapers, and I'm a mommy to three sweet babies, ages 5, 3, and 20 months. These are our family's Easter traditions:

We love Easter in this house! What a fabulous holiday, celebrating our savior's resurrection and the second chance this means for all of us!

I am sad to say that we don't dye eggs around here... at least not yet. I do plan to start when the kids are a bit older! However, we love to bake and decorate our Easter cookies, which we pack in tiny baskets and give to our neighbors.

My littles are each given a stocked Easter basket on Easter morning. Following the excitement of unpacking the games and candy in their baskets, we dress up in our finest and head off to church! After church, we have Easter dinner at Grandma and Papa's house, followed by a fabulous egg hunt! Grandma stocks the eggs with special treats, and then Papa takes great care to hide the eggs especially for each child. This is definitely something the kids are starting to really look forward to each year!

Easter is a special time for my family to celebrate each other and Christ Jesus!

My name is Alexa from No Holding Back. I am the mom of Nayner Bug (male, 5), Jelly Bean, (female, 3) and Tiny (female, 1). These are our family's Easter traditions:

As a child, we always woke up to a house that had been visited by the Easter bunny. All of the eggs we had dyed the day before, plus chocolate footballs and some other candies, were hidden all around the house. We would have an Easter Egg hunt, eat breakfast, and go to church.

We have not really established any traditions thus far with my young family. Each year we do dye a lot of Easter Eggs, because that is our favorite part. I have not really gotten into this recent tradition (at least I think it’s recent because I don’t remember any kids when I was growing up getting a bunch of gifts) of giving a huge Easter basket filled with presents. And our children are small enough they don’t know to expect things like that. They are happy with hunting eggs and eating chocolate! So our “tradition” I suppose has become church, egg hunt, and a family dinner at my mother’s house. It’s nothing extraordinary, but it’s special to us.

My name is Fotini! I blog over at Glamorous, Affordable Life. I am the mom of (Isabella 2 years and Christian 6 years). These are our family's Easter traditions:

I look forward to celebrating Easter each year with the kids! Honestly, I don’t know who’s more excited, me or them! I absolutely adore the pastels, flowers and smells that come along with spring! We do lots of fun Easter crafts and activities outdoors, if the weather permits! Unfortunately this year the weather has not! We are just aching to get outside and play. J

My son is becoming very knowledgeable with the Bible, so he’s beginning to understand why we celebrate Holidays, like Easter, and this is so important to my husband and I! We try our best to instill the true meaning to our children. Don’t get me wrong, we (or should I say, I) love getting the kids Easter baskets together! I don’t go all out, but I gather a few things I know they will love, and very little candy! Also, for Easter Day we have a egg hunt set up around the house, indoors and out! I fill the eggs with money, candy, and “coupons” they can exchange for things later on! That afternoon, we have an early dinner with our family! The tradition has been taken on by me to start cooking for the Holidays and I couldn’t be happier to fill this role!!

My name is Kristen from The Mrs. & The Momma. I'm the momma of three girls (ages 7, 5, & 3) and a little boy (18 months). These are our family's Easter traditions:

Easter is a very special time for our family. As parents, we try our very best to keep Christ the focus of the holiday, which is really tough sometimes with all the bunny, candy, and egg-hunting hoopla. Don't get me wrong, we take part in all of that, but attempt to ground our children in remembering the atonement and Resurrection of Christ. One of the traditions we started this year with our kids was making "Empty Tomb Rolls" (see my post about it HERE) on Good Friday. Not only did our kids enjoy making these themselves, but they also understood the symbolism that accompanies each ingredient. Another Easter tradition we do with our children is making a big breakfast for Easter morning. My mom always did this for me and my brother growing up, and it's something I hope my children remember too. I just love big, extravagant breakfasts and with Easter you can get creative....i.e. colored eggs, bunny pancakes, etc. I hope everyone had a very happy and blessed Easter holiday!

Your Turn:

What Easter traditions does your family keep?

Leave us a comment; we love to read your tips and advice!

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