Decorating a cake you’ve baked at home is not difficult. In fact, it’s a great way to customize it for taste and birthday party theme — without paying a high price. You CAN have your cake and eat it, too!

If I can decorate a home baked cake, so can you! I am not all that gifted in this area, but my kids are always happy. And that is what counts!

Here are some ideas to get you started.

• A Cake Decorating Tutorial
• Decorating Cakes with Playmobil
• Cake Decorating for Normal People

Sports Cakes

LA Kings Cake

Disc Golf

Surfer Cake

Movie Cakes

Indiana Jones

and another Indiana Jones

Cars 2 Cake

Captain Jack, Pirates of the Caribbean

Death Star, Star Wars

Rapunzel, Tangled Cake

Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story

A Drive-in Movie Theatre

Book Cakes

Narnia – Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Fancy Nancy

Character Cakes

Dora the Explorer

Bob the Builder

Sonic the Hedgehog

Lego Bionicle Thornax

Pokeball and Pikachu

Shamu

Cakes for Grownups

Dave Ramsey

What’s your favorite out of all your birthday cakes, past or present?

Easy Cakes You Can Decorate Yourself is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Occasionally, readers write with questions that I know others might be able to add to or benefit from. Today we’re talking about video games, gaming systems, and how to know if and when to introduce those to your household.

Take whatever I say with a grain of salt, and be sure to add your two cents in the comments section.

Q.I was hoping you could share with me the age your kids were when you first allowed video games? I have three boys-7, 3 and 7 mo. We homeschool. Winter is long around here and the big guy wants a Wii. Bad. Am I nuts to give in so early? Obviously the baby won’t be joining in, but I don’t see how I’ll be able to keep the almost 4 yr old away. Any advice is much appreciated!

A. Well, this is, indeed, the five million dollar question! While I would like to say that our family is immune to the mind-numbing powers of the video game, I can’t. I don’t really have “an answer”, but I’m happy to share our experience.

Our life with video games

My kids love to play video games, be they computer, gaming system, or iPad. I never had any intention of buying anything video game related. And in fact, in the early years, I didn’t.

I know first hand the addictive qualities of video games, having spent adolescent nights bleary eyed trying to beat Pacman as well as wasted adult days absorbed in Tetris or Baby Park. I can’t get those minutes back and now that every second of my life is accounted for, I want that time back! I guess we could say I have some video game regrets of my own.

It seems time slips by unnoticed when one is playing a video game. But to deny their presence and influence in our culture is unrealistic. The real question is who will control whom?

I will be the first to admit that video games have a fairly large presence in our home life. I don’t like to admit it. I think there’s an unspoken law in Parentdom that you’re a better mom if your kids don’t watch TV, don’t know a Pokemon from a Super Mario Brother, and never eat processed sugars.

While I know where we “coulda, shoulda, woulda,” that’s not always our reality. This is:

1. You want it, you buy it.

I think the saving and subsequent ownership is an important part of the equation. If you want something bad enough, you’ll do what you need to do to make it happen. And since I don’t share their love of video games, I don’t plan on paying for them.

My oldest, at about age 8 decided that he wanted a Nintendo 64. He had played a number of different game systems at friends’ homes and decided that the vintage “cassette” games were ideal, especially with baby siblings in the house. These could not be scratched or destroyed as easily as the Game Cube which was current at the time, seven years ago. (Smart boy.)

His brothers were then 5, 3, and 1. Only one of them was really capable of playing anything because back then most of the games were too advanced for toddlers anyway. Regardless, we limited game time to weekends and perhaps 30 minutes on a school night.

My oldest son and my husband shopped on ebay and he bought a used system and the games to go with. Since he had invested his money (with some help from younger brothers), it was a great experience in saving toward purchases and shopping for good deals.

A few years later, friends gave us a Game Cube that they no longer wanted and the hunt for used Game Cube games commenced, now with more boys saving money and investing in games or requesting them at birthdays and Christmas.

Inevitably, Nintendo retired these systems and the games became harder and harder to find. That is the way with technology — and marketing.

Since the Wii was/is pretty cool, the boys started to save their money. With fervor. They did odd jobs around the house. They weeded the flower beds in the summer heat to earn extra money. And they reached their goal! It was amazing to see how hard they worked.

And even though they had the cash earmarked for this special purchase, they were willing to share it when their parents were short on funds!

We ended up buying them the system – and have been known to play it on occasion. They spent their savings on the accessories and games, which add up anyway. We were so proud of their hard work and determination and their generosity. And they are still responsible for buying games and accessories.

Currently, only the boys, age 14, 11, 9,and 7, are very active with the Wii, though my 5-year old daughter occasionally joins in. Each of the boys has saved the money to buy handheld systems as well, Nintendo DS, and the Girl says she wants one as well.

She also has her eye on a Bitty Baby, so we’ll see who wins out in the end.

2. Set limits on the gaming time.

Video games are generally off-limits on school nights, and we try to have time limits on the weekend gaming. While timers have worked on and off in the past, inevitably we have bouts of too much time spent on gaming — or fighting as a result of overly competitive spirits.  This is our cue to pull back.

We have called for Total Unplugging on occasion in order to curb the control that gaming has.

Our plan for the summer is to have a few windows per day when gaming is allowed. The rest of the day the games need to be powered down, and children need to be involved in other pursuits: reading, playing outside, doing chores, or playing “real” games.

Having “gaming hours” is easier for me to monitor when there are so many people playing games!

3. Playing together does matter.

I think we could live a happy existence without video games, but I also know that my kids truly do enjoy this pursuit. Now that we’ve dipped a toe into iPad apps, I realize the huge addiction/education possibilities. It’s all about balance.

And there’s the added value of time spent together. My husband has had wonderful experiences playing football and hockey via the Wii with our boys. They’ve also had great times playing real football and hockey outside. But, as you say, winter is long. Having indoor pursuits is nice. And so is time spent together.

Do I wish we had fewer video games? Yes. Do I wish I could claim the no-video games, no-TV rule that I once held to steadfastly? Sure. My life would be a lot simpler — and a lot quieter.

Would that make me a better mom? I’m not so sure.

How do YOU handle video games at your house?

Q&A: Video Games is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

We’re planning for summer fun around here. Today Prerna shares how to enjoy the summer daze with an child.

We’re enjoying full-blown summer days here in India and soon it will be that time when school shuts down and our daughter is at home. all day. alone. with us.

Yes, we have an ‘only’ child and while we do manage to keep her engaged and entertained successfully during after-school hours and during the cool, winter months when picnics and outdoor fun is easier to manage, the summer is a whole other story.

The days are hot and long, school is out, friends are away with families traveling and she is pretty much housebound during the day. Yes, and we, my husband and I, have a busy home business to run as well.

So, here’s how we make the summer days fun for her and keep ourselves productive and sane.

A Stash of ‘Special’ Toys

Yes, every mother’s secret tool – special toys. If you haven’t put together a box of toys that you don’t pull out every day, do that now! Whenever, she’s getting cranky and irritable with her collection of cars or dolls, we pull out that special box which basically, has toys she hasn’t played with in months. They’re all new to her and I can almost hear her squeal in delight as she opens the box to pull out that old-for-us but new-for-her pushback car.

An Ice Cream a Day

I know. An ice cream every day. But hear me out. You can make fudgecicles by freezing simple, home made chocolate pudding in molds. Or you can do what Jessica does and make your own ice cream. Healthier and cheaper.

You’ve gotta admit, every kid loves ice cream and there is something about having a bowl filled with slurpy, yummy, ice cream when the sun is blazing outside.

Splash Fests to Cool Off

We don’t have a garden because we live in an apartment. But we let her splash around in the bath for around 10 to 15 minutes. She loves it. It cools her down and playing with water and her strange, assorted collection of bath toys just makes her day. Plus, it gives us 15 minutes to catch up on email or other biz-related tasks.

Quiet Play Time

In my earlier post on fun activities for an only child, I shared how much our little girl loves pretend play, reading books and DIY craft. We schedule all of those as well for the summer days and let her play quietly till she tires of them and needs something else to do.

A Routine to Keep it All Together

I am a huge fan of planning and routines and the summer holidays are no different. Regardless of the activities you plan or think of, they’ll be of little use if you don’t have a routine in place. Knowing what to do every day makes life much simpler for this work-at-home mom of an only child. I try (operative word, try) to not fly by the seat of my pants and yes, Jessica’s Organizing Life as Mom eBook is my trusty sanity-saver, along with her Summer Survival Guide that gives me much-needed inspiration whenever I’m stuck.

Keep in mind that all these ways to have fun can be used in families with multiples and where parents are not working out of home. However, when you have just the one child and a home business to boot, these simple activities are an easy way to keep her engaged without the need for another child for company and give you some time to work on your business as well.

Interested in more summer fun and sanity savers for the busy work-at-home mom? Sign up to be notified when my eBook Summer Sanity Savers   launches soon and get access to free chapters, a special LOW pre-launch prices and fun bonuses as well!

– Prerna Malik is a mom, a wife, a writer and woman who believes in parenting with love, being postively productive, and creating a home that invites you to put your feet up and relax. Find her sharing her simple tips and easy-to-do ideas at The Mom Writes or follow her on Twitter.

Summer Fun for the Only Child is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

This year we’re on Zone Defense, moving room by room, tackling clutter and disorder. This month we’re going after those living spaces and all the “stuff” we use to entertain us.

By now you’ve noticed a pattern for our zones:

1. Personal space
2. Food (kitchen)
3. Clothing (laundry room/linens)

Now we move to the living spaces. I define “living spaces’ as those areas of your home where daily life happens, namely entryway, living room, family room, den. Whatever you call it at your house, you know what I mean, right?

These are the spaces that draw clutter as much as they draw a crowd. It’s where we “do life”. And life, as I know it, is messy. It’s in our best interests and that of our families and housemates to put some order into those general everyday spaces.

At our home, that one where six eight kids of all ages reside, that means a variety of stuff — and lots of little crumbs. Especially under the couch cushions!

Recently, in anticipation of the grandparents’ visiting, we gave our living spaces an overhaul. This is your task this week as well. Check out the tasks that may or may not be needed at your house. They were at ours!

1. Declutter the entryway by thinning out shoes and coats. What really needs to be there?
2. Clean out the coat closet.
3. Sweep and mop the entryway floor.
4. Dust furniture in living and family rooms
5. Vacuum couches and chairs. Yes, under the cushions.
6. Replace burned out light bulbs.
7. Remove clutter.
8. Rearrange/straighten books on the shelves.
9. Dust light fixtures.
10. Vacuum baseboards.
11. Wipe fingerprints from walls and light swithces.
12. Add some fresh flowers or other decorative touch to brighten up your everyday.

Your living spaces may need all of these or just a few. Don’t feel overwhelmed! You don’t have to do them all or all at once. If you chose two per day, your house would look like a new place in a week.

But remember to do #12 when you’re done. It will make you feel so good after all your hard work.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be looking more closely at the items that can bring great joy to our lives: games, books, movies, and music. They can also bring a huge mess if we’re not careful. So we’ll be talking about ways to tame and organize these entertainment beasts.

What living space will you tackle this week?

Zone Defense: Living Spaces is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

I feel a little sad when I look at this picture. And not just because I have lost that really good complexion I once had.

I guess the word isn’t really sad. No, I guess it’s bittersweet. I was 25. My first baby was just a few days old. I had no clue what I was doing.

And yet, he was so sweet! The smell of him was sweet, even amidst the spit-up. And the pain of the stitches, episiotome, and the breast engorgement that I know I was suffering when that picture was taken? Well, yeah, amnesia has set in. Big time.

I have to remind myself that it was hard.

It still is. Just in a different way.

Conquering Mountains

This week as I was driving one of the boys to piano lessons, we discussed what had transpired in the last month. You see, a month ago he was ready to throw in the towel. About a month ago he wanted to quit — and we wouldn’t let him. We made him stick to it.

My days since have been filled with the most beautiful piano recitals. He pushed himself past the fumbling fingers and the missed notes. And he’s practiced.

During our ride to piano, he said, “Yeah, you could say that I got to the top of the mountain and I’m enjoying the ride down.” (so cute!)

To which I replied, “There will be another mountain someday. You might not expect it. But you’ll come to another challenge. And that’s when you remind yourself of how you conquered this mountain. And you’ll remember that you can do it. One success will build on another.”

Motherhood Mountains

I didn’t realize it at the time, but it is a lesson for motherhood. We leap these hurdles: pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, the toddler years. We leap each one. But there’s another in the distance.

Typically these hurdles don’t come all at once, yet in waves, so the challenges and blessings of motherhood come to us. We conquer one and grow stronger. We know we can do it. We enjoy a respite and then we need to push again.

Think on this, moms, as you enter another year of motherhood. The challenges will be there, but so will the blessings. You will get to catch your breath. Just be looking for it! Sometimes it feels like if you blink, you might miss that chance of rest.

And have faith, confidence, that you will conquer this next big thing, too. And you’ll be stronger for it. And you will get to the top of the mountain.

Be sure to enjoy the view on the way up and the way down!

Conquering Mountains is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Booking It is an online book club where we discuss what we’ve read over the past month as well as review a monthly assigned book. This month’s book is  Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson. 

Heads up: if you make a purchase through any Amazon links in this post, I do receive a small percentage of the sale.

Here we are, another month come and gone. And if it weren’t for you, I might not have read a real book with real pages. Thank you for  keeping me “in the real world”.

I’m coming off the heels of a fabulous cross-country visit to meet one of my favorite authors — in real life! Susan Wise Bauer made us coffee in her very own living room. Kinda wild and crazy.

When I leave the cave, I really know how to do it up. I’ll be telling you about all kinds of great books from that trip another time. But, today, it’s Miss Pettigrew’s turn.

A few months ago, I consulted Anne, Carrie, and Janel to create a reading list for this year. While I get to share the credit and the blame for whatever books we delve into together, the credit really goes to Anne for suggesting this book. It was a winner!

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

I loves this book! I read it last month, actually, and couldn’t put it down. Oh what a fun, fun ride. Think Bing Crosby musical goes abroad.

(I had a childhood crush on Bing. What a tragedy to find out he was as old as my grandfather!)

Miss Pettigrew is an aging, penniless, not-very-good governess stomping the London sidewalks for a job. She has no family and no hope. She was brought up in an ultra-conservative vicar’s home — and thus has certain set opinions about what she can and cannot do. In a few words, her fences are pretty close.

(I’m a firm believer in respecting boundaries — fences — but I think we often make them closer in than may need to be. Sometimes we make the fences closer, sometimes other people do it to us.)

A movie was made of this book a few years ago, but I’m gonna guess that the book is better. ‘Cuz the book was great! I had a lovely escape from reality one weekend, following Miss Pettigrew’s “one day” of adventure outside her comfort zone, outside the fences that have been built around her.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day on IMDB

Warning: there’s drinking and a fair degree of fornication by different characters in the book. These didn’t bother me in the context of the story. If there was “bad language,” I don’t remember it. It must not have shocked me too terribly. I was more distressed by the elements of anti-semitism in the book. This was disappointing, but also a very real (and unfortunate) characteristic of the time period.

As Carrie pointed out, other great books, like The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and The Help, contain objectionable behavior in real life. But that doesn’t necessarily detract from their value as novels.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson is a story of redemption, of love, of daring. And it’s a good example of loving the sinner, but not the sin. I give it two thumbs up.

What else I read

In addition to Miss P. I read a few other things over the last month. It seems that between work and homeschool, it is hard to fit in as much reading as I would like. It’s been a busy couple weeks.

I’ve been reading through The Story of the World with the boys as well as The Betsy-Tacy Treasury with the girls. The boys and I also just started reading The Bronze Bow which we hope to finish by the end of the school year. I’ve read all three of these before and highly recommend them, especially as family read alouds.

Surprisingly, I also got sucked into a memoir that I was sent for review. I’m always skeptical when I am sent books randomly. And Paris in Love sounds kind of random. It’s based on the author’s Facebook updates from the year sabbatical she and her family spent living in Paris. I was surprised, but I liked it a lot! The author is a Shakespeare professor as well as a romance novelist. I can’t vouch for her other books; I gave those up in college.

But, this book was fascinating to me, especially as I hope to take the fam to Paris in a few years. I was sad when the year was over. Not only was it an exploration of life in another country and culture, but an introspective look at family life and what’s most important. Two thumbs up!

Have you been Booking It?

Tell us about the books you’ve read! If you read Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson be sure to tell us what you thought of it.

Check out the list of 12 books that we’ll be reading together this year. Next up in June – All in Good Time by Tara Kuczykowski and Mandi Ehman.

Disclosure: if you make a purchase through any Amazon links up there, I do receive a small percentage of the sale.

Booking It (May Update: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

It is possible to host a beautiful wedding without spending a million dollars. Here’s how we did it on a “smaller” budget.

Eighteen years ago this weekend we got hitched after only four months’ engagement. Yes, it was short. We had dated for two years, though, and once you find the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with, well, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. (Name that movie.)

In that 3.5 months’, pre-internet, pre-pinterest time period, we planned a beautiful wedding. It was by far, the best day of my life, featuring the best wedding food I think I’ve ever eaten, and definitely the best cake.

And we did it on a budget.

Weddings are expensive.

My dad was willing to pay for a wedding for his eldest of three daughters, but he wasn’t going to be extravagant. I groaned with dismay when he set the limit at $5000.

To give you perspective on that number, the average wedding expenditure today is $27,000. The average wedding cost in 1990 was $15,000. So, even though plenty of people have tied the knot for less than $5K, Dad’s number was still pretty low for the time, 1994.

Quite honestly, I was fit to be tied, but there was little I could do about it — unless I wanted to wait and save up more cash. Which I didn’t. Hehe.

Instead, a few years later I lobbied for my youngest sister to get a COLA on her wedding budget. Her budget was $8000 in 2001. And my sister Jamie spent only $3000 on her recent wedding reception. Dad got like three weddings for the price of one!

That said…. today I’m thankful that I wasn’t allowed free reign to spend more than we needed to on a beautiful wedding day. Here are some of my thoughts on the subject, almost twenty years later.

You might already be married, but chances are you have siblings, children, or nieces and nephews that aren’t.

How to plan a budget wedding:

1. Keep perspective.

One thing that I wish I had remembered and am now passing on to others is that this shindig is not all about you. This is a hard thing for brides to come to terms with. We imagine the day all our lives as the day we get to shine like a princess. And while I’ve been there, I also think it’s important to keep things in perspective.

A wedding is a celebration of a new life, a blending of two families, and a transition of roles. While the bride is a princess, she is also not the only who cares about this special day.

So, brides, don’t be a spoiled brat. Be prepared to compromise and consider the needs, wants, and personalities of both families. Keep in mind the sheer amount of money that’s at stake, also. My sister Janel now says she’d rather have that cash to spend on a really nice vacation!

Enough is as good as a feast.

2. Enlist friends to help.

Canvas your friends to find out who is willing and able to help with your wedding event. Guess what? You don’t need a wedding planner. Really. Instead draw from the wealth of skills and talents among those close to you. An older, married friend served as my coordinator. Since I lived with her and her family, she was right there to make me get things done, too.

We were blessed by friends who baked and decorated the cake, arranged the flowers, acted as DJ, served as shuttle drivers, as well as those who set tables and cleaned house in preparation of the Big Day. Andy’s parents even provided their home and garden as the reception location.

3. Do it yourself.

There are an amazing number of things that you can do and make yourself, even moreso now than there were 18 years ago. The trick is not to overdo. (See tips 1 & 2.)

From invitations to party favors to place settings, you can pull together pretty things simply and affordably. Don’t go overboard, but consider what special touches are just fine homemade. Instead of a bar, bartender, etc, we went to Costco and bought cases of bottled water, pop, beer, and champagne and made our own serve-yourself bar.

4. Splurge on the things that matter.

I really wanted good food, nice invitations and quality photographs so we splurged on those items. Today I have friends who would have done those things for me. But, I was content to fill the gap, knowing I was getting my druthers in a few key areas.

As it was, we priced things out and still bargain shopped. We chose the same caterers I had worked for in college and since they knew me, they gave us a great deal and superb service. (It pays to know people, sometimes!) The food was absolutely fantastic!

5. Let go of the things you don’t care about.

We didn’t have a wedding planner, a videographer, or professional hair and make-up people. It didn’t bother me in the slightest that a driveway was our dance floor. I only just now noticed the basketball hoop in the photographs!

Our “live music” was a wanna-be jazz singer who literally crashed the party! He wasn’t even invited to the wedding, but wrote a song for us spontaneously at the reception.

None of this bothered me. They just didn’t matter that much in light of the big picture and small budget.

6. Just smile.

What makes a wedding a beautiful one is the happy couple. Keep smiling — even if things don’t go the way you expect them to. In fact, be ready to laugh — at losing the rings right before the ceremony, at the party-crashing jazz singer, at the dead altar flowers from a previous event catching fire during your vows. (True stories.)

There will be plenty of things to go “wrong”.

A wedding doesn’t make a marriage. A good attitude and a lot of love and grace do. 

You can have a beautiful wedding on a budget — just remember what’s important.

Today’s Frugal Friday!

Time to swap ideas and inspiration for saving money.

How do YOU save money?

Please remember to follow the Frugal Friday Guidelines or be deleted.

1. Post a money saving idea and explain how it is helpful in your post.
2. No giveaways or deals posts.
3. Recipes are allowed, but you must explain how it saves people money.
4. Please include a link back to Life as MOM.

How to Plan a Budget Wedding (Frugal Friday) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Sorbet, juice, and club soda combine for a refreshing punch, perfect for showers and other special occasions.

This time of year is one in which I got married and years later had several babies. That also means that it is bridal and baby shower season — at least in my memories.

One lovely shower recipe that I’ve enjoyed over the years is Sorbet Punch. It’s amazingly easy to make.

Simply scoop ice cream and/or sorbet into glasses, pitchers, or punch bowls. Then pour over juice and club soda. The result is a creamy “float” for a crowd. You can create a multitude of flavor combinations by mixing and matching the flavors of ice cream, sorbet, and juice. Depending on the combination you choose, you could also garnish your concoctions with sprigs of mint or citrus slices. For a sweeter drink, use ginger ale instead of soda water.

Some flavor combinations to consider:

• orange sherbet, vanilla ice cream, orange juice, and club soda
• raspberry sorbet, vanilla ice cream, raspberry blend juice, and club soda
• lime sorbet, lime juice, mint syrup, club soda, and mint leaves
• peach ice cream, peach nectar, and club soda
• coffee sorbet, vanilla or chocolate ice cream, cold, strong-brewed coffee, club soda

In this rendition, I used mango sorbet, pineapple juice and club soda. But, really the possibilities are endless.

Sorbet Punch (URS: Bridal & Baby Showers) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Whether you’re celebrating your own mother or other women who’ve encouraged you over the years — or just need to leave this post open on the computer and walk away, Mother’s Day is a great opportunity to say thanks.

Here are some easy ideas for celebrating the day in a budget-friendly way.

1. Create a money box disguised as a box of chocolate.

2. Bake Mother’s Day cupcakes.

3. Serve breakfast in bed.

4. Wrap up some candy in bows.

5. Clean the house.

6. Make a meal for the freezer.

7. Pamper the mom.

8. Give the gift of a good book.

9. Deliver breakfast in a bag.

10. Print out some coupons to say I Love You.

Got a great gift idea for Mother’s Day?

10 Ways to Celebrate Mother’s Day is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Breakfast in bed is a wonderful treat for visiting guests, birthday boys and girls, and parents on their special days. Here’s how to pull it off with style and ease.

All photos by Heidi

Last weekend, a few friends and I journeyed to Charles City, Virginia. We stayed at the Peace Hill Bed and Breakfast, probably the nicest B&B I’ve ever visited. Of the many perks of our stay was the coffee tray brought to our rooms each morning.

What a lovely sound — to hear a light knock on the door and a slight clink of glass as a tray laden with biscotti, strawberries, coffee, cream and sugar awaited me when I opened the door! Talk about your ultimate luxury!

Serve breakfast in bed.

It’s also a great thing to do for the people you love. A breakfast-laden tray is a delightful way to bless visiting guests or a celebratory treat for birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions, like Mother’s or Father’s Day.

Wondering how to pull it off in style? Here’s a quick tutorial to serving breakfast in bed.

How to prepare a lovely breakfast in bed:

1. Think drink.

Serve coffee in a carafe or hot water in a pot alongside a selection of teas. Include an array of sweeteners like sugar (cubes are always special) and honey as well as a tiny pitcher of cream. A small glass of juice and/or water with lemon slices is also a nice touch.

2. Include fruit.

Fresh fruit is a happy breakfast side dish. Berries, melon, and pineapple are ideal. Sectioned grapefruit is nice, too. Take a few minutes to arrange them prettily on a china dish.

3. Bake someone happy.

Scones, biscotti, or muffins are lovely additions to a breakfast tray. You can even make them ahead of time and freeze to save time in the morning. You can buy something yummy at the bakery or grocery store, too.

4. Include some protein.

While a hot bacon and eggs breakfast is hard to time for serving in bed, you can still include protein in your celebratory breakfast. Think yogurt, cottage cheese, nut-filled granola, or a small cheese plate. A dish of nuts goes well, too.

5. Add a special touch.

Take a moment to lay a pretty tray. The morning paper, a fresh flower, and a cloth napkin make it extra special. Slicing the butter into pats and serving the jam in small pot do, too. Think what would please the one you’re honoring and include that in this breakfast gift.

(A small Lego set or baby doll might please a young child more than the Wall Street Journal.)

Breakfast in bed is like a meal fit for royalty. It shows that you’ve taken extra thought and effort in honor of someone else. And it’s a luxurious treat to wake up to! Consider making it a birthday, holiday, or company tradition in your home.

Disclosure: My accomodations at the Peace Hill Bed & Breakfast were complimentary, but I am not under any obligation to post about my stay. All opinions are my own.

Serve Breakfast in Bed is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.