Moms' Party Café

Winter Appetizers

2012-02-02T09:27:00.000-05:00

Looking for some good party appetizer recipes? Click here to download the Better Homes and Garden’s Winter Appetizer booklet. The crab dip would make a great Super Bowl Party choice. Happy eating!

Crab Dip

Makes: 10 servings
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
Yield: 1-1/3 cups
Prep: 20 mins Chill: 2 hrs to 24 hrs

Ingredients

1 cup cooked crabmeat or one 6-ounce can crabmeat, drained, flaked, and cartilage removed
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or green onion
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dillweed or 1 teaspoon dried dillweed
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel or lime peel
1 teaspoon lemon juice or lime juice
Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
Dash cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and black pepper
Finely chopped red or green onion (optional)
Assorted crackers and/or vegetable dippers

Directions

1. In a small bowl stir together crab, mayonnaise, sour cream, the 2 tablespoons onion, the 1 tablespoon dill, the 1 teaspoon lemon peel, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and, if desired, cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

2. Transfer dip to a serving dish. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. If desired, garnish wtih finely chopped red or green onion. Serve with crackers or vegetable dippers. Makes about 1-1/3 cups (10 servings).

Label Your Super Bowl Food

2012-02-01T10:49:00.003-05:00

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When serving food buffet style, guests always appreciate it when the food is labeled. No one likes biting into something and discovering it is not what they thought it was. My father once swapped escargot for mushrooms to see if I would notice the difference. I noticed and 25 years later it still activates my gag reflexes when I think about it—yuck. Shelley, I don’t know how you escaped that one.

I have put together these fun Super Bowl Food Labels. Click here to download the file. To make them, laminate the paper and cut out the labels. Use wet erase markers to write the name of the dish on the label. Then, hot glue the label to a craft stick. After the party, peal the hot-glued craft sticks off the labels and throw them away. Save the labels for next year.

You could also make a disposable version. Print and cut out the labels (unlaminated). Use a glue stick to attach them to craft sticks.

A note (diatribe) about food allergies:
This is always a controversial subject and here is my opinion (not that you care, but it is my blog so I can say what I want). My family is impossible to feed. My oldest child is on a gluten-free-casein-free diet (he has something similar to celiac disease). My second and third children were born allergic to all protein (both Shelley’s boys have the same allergy). Over the years they have outgrown most of it, but still cannot eat most cow/dairy products. Just as I had adjusted to life as the house with the “funny milk” (soy), child number three was also born allergic to soy, an allergy he shares with his father. To further complicate things, child number four is allergic to strawberries and red food coloring.

When I say allergic, I mean so allergic that even an invisible amount will make my children very sick. Sometimes it feels like God said, “If you can’t make healthy food choices on your own, I will make them for you.” I have developed a new relationship with food. I never really spent much time noticing food ingredients. If it tasted good, it was good enough for me. I spent the first 3 years after my son’s diagnosis reading the ingredient list on the back of packaged food and translating things like Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate and Magnesium Caseinate. I came up with a list of acceptable products, only to discover that occasionally the ingredients change or they are made in a factory with other products and can be cross-contaminated. I eventually gave up. Now we only eat fresh fruits and vegetables, poultry, eggs, nuts. . . Much to my horror I am discovering that that the genetic engineering of our food supply is placing some of these items in the danger zone for our family (but that is a topic for another day).

I do not ever expect others to be able to feed my family. I do not expect others to make special accommodations for my family. I travel with my own supply of food wherever I go—if there is ever a national emergency we will not starve. I even give my children’s teachers an annual supply of allergy free treats, snacks, and small trinkets (I don’t get why our society always chooses to reward children with food, then wonders why we all grow up with food issues).

I do, however, expect full disclosure and basic courtesy. I need to know what I am feeding my family. Not telling me about that “secret ingredient” is very dangerous. Being hurt or offended that we brought our own food is selfish-- yes, a sip, a bite, a nibble, a taste, or a morsel IS harmful. Thinking that we are over exaggerating the seriousness of this issue is judgmental and, frankly, none of your business. Treating tiny children like they have literally ruined the party because they can’t have ice-cream is mean—“Normally, we have an ice cream social as our end-of-the-year party, but this year we can’t. Why do some people have to ruin it for everyone?” Please, please, please, all I am asking for is some compassion. . . . and if you feel like going the extra mile, labeling your food at a party REALLY helps.

Super Bowl Pool

2012-01-30T12:28:00.001-05:00

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As promised . . . the Super Bowl Pool.

Print out the Super Bowl Pool grid. Determine roughly how many guests will be playing. The grid has 100 squares. Divide 100 by the number of players. This will determine how many squares each player may have on each grid (remember there are 4 grids). For example if you have 32 players, each player may have 3 squares. Ask each player to put their initials in the square(s) they choose.

Some squares will go unclaimed. You may choose to leave them blank or come up with a way to let players win additional squares (like drawing their name from that hat or having Fear Factor/Minute to Win It style competitions).

At the end of each quarter, match the last digit of each team's final score with the grid to decide the winner. For example, a score of Patriots 13, Giants 26, would mean finding the square where 3 on the vertical scale meets 6 on the horizontal. If Bill chose the space where these two numbers meet, he's the winner.

There is also a sheet for guessing the time the game will end and the combined final score.

Football Field Table Cover

2012-01-27T14:02:00.006-05:00

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With 9 days to go, I am starting to gather my party decorations and supplies together in the dining room. If I break it up into pieces, I can get it all done over the next week during my kids’ naptime. The downside is playing the “Don’t Touch That” game with the two-year-old all week.

I got THE table cover down from the attic today. The one that makes all the kids start their, “How many more days until the football party?” concert. It is a pretty good performance. It lasts for days and is sometimes performed in harmony—although always out of tune. Trying to explain the concept of 9 more days to the two and three year olds is pointless— ten more naps (if you start now it will be only 9 when you wake up), 9 more sleeps, 5 more trips to the playground, 2 more church days . . .

I made this many years ago-- And when I say many years, I am not (for once, not even a little bit) exaggerating. OK it was eight years ago (exactly eight). I don’t know why I always feel the need to be so vague. The important thing is that it still looks great! And, it cost less than $30, which averages $3.75 per year—a total bargain.

To make it I went to Home Depot and had the carpet department cut a piece of artificial turf four feet longer than my table. I brought it home and used a box cutter to cut the width the exact width of my table. I used the remnants to make coasters and placemats for the TV trays. I then used white masking tape to mark-off the yard lines. I found the numbers in the scrapbook department of the craft store. They are glittery cardboard stickers. They did fall off over the years and have since been glued back on.

This is a great cover to protect my table. At the end of the party, I use the dust buster to vacuum up the spills. Then, I roll it up and store it away for the next year (and another concert).

Will You do me a Super Bowl Favor?

2012-01-27T09:53:00.002-05:00

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I put together these fun favor buckets for this year’s party. I am sending them home with the kids, but I am sure that adults will like them too. They are plastic buckets from the dollar store. I wrapped a football necklace around the handle and filled the inside with candy and tissue paper grass. You could also use left over Easter grass. I finished it off with a sticker that says, “We hope you had a SUPER, good time!” Click here to download the stickers. They can be printed onto Avery 22807 labels.

Football Guacamole

2012-01-23T16:39:00.003-05:00

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Use Shelley's guacamole recipe to make this adorable football dip. It would also make a great 10-layer mexican dip.

My Super Bowl Shopping Cart

2012-01-23T16:32:00.000-05:00

My favorite Super Bowl finds:

Football Snacks

2012-01-23T16:24:00.000-05:00

I found these at the store today:

Be a Super Fan

2012-01-23T15:55:00.001-05:00

I like to set up a face painting and temporary tattoo station for guests to use. The kids (and kids at heart) love it. There are always a few people who are too cool to dress up. Once they arrive and see everyone, they join in. I do leave it as a do-it-yourself station, which can have its consequences (see photo):

Super Fan Tool Kit:

Super Bowl Bingo

2012-01-23T13:25:00.002-05:00

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As promised, here is my Super Bowl BINGO. Click here to download the PDF file. This year I printed the BINGO cards onto red, white, and blue paper. You could also use a football themed paper or plain cardstock.

I give each guest 1 sheet, which has 2 printed BINGO cards—double the cards, double the fun. You could also cut each sheet into half and give each player 1 card.

To play, participants watch the game and look for the items on their BINGO card. If there is a dispute about whether something “counts”, you may resolve the issue with either a majority-rules vote or designate someone as the BINGO referee before the game starts.

We offer multiple winning options. We play 4 types of BINGO simultaneously: traditional BINGO, all 4 corners on one card, two diagonals on the same card to form a big X, and covering every square on one card. The first person to accomplish any of the 4 types of BINGO wins that prize. Play continues until all 4 BINGO types have been won. We keep a large dry erase board next to the screen and circle each game as it is won.

My daughter serves as the BINGO master. She keeps up with marking-off finished games and handing out prizes. This gives her something fun to do, as she is not really interested in the game. I give her a whistle to blow when a successful BINGO is called and an official BINGO Master hat to wear. She is not responsible for settling disputes, as grown adults get very passionate about this game and she is still a little girl.

Super Bowl 46

2012-01-23T11:10:00.009-05:00

New England Patriots Vs. New York Giants

February 5th, 2012

Kickoff time: 6:30EST / 5:30 CST

on NBC

This is a party decorator’s dream. Both teams are the same color! Before you run out to buy decorations, check around the house for:

4th of July decorations that can be repurposed
You kid’s/husband’s sporting equipment (helmets, balls, pads, cheerleading uniforms, whistles, t-shirts, pom poms, etc)
Anything red or blue from your party decoration leftovers (streamers, balloons, paper plates, napkins, etc.)
Red or Blue household items (blankets, pillows, tablecloths, etc.)
Red or Blue craft supplies (construction paper, poster board, ribbon, fabric, etc.)

Remember to think outside the box. It is a rainy day in the southeast today. It is perfect weather for staying indoors, gathering supplies, and coming up with a plan and shopping list. Happy hunting!

Constructing the perfect party

2012-01-22T14:23:00.005-05:00

My son was invited to the cutest party this weekend—a construction party. Dad is in the construction business, which came in handy. They brought in a truckload of sand and dumped it in a huge pile in the back yard for the kids to play in. They decorated with road signs and safety cones. They gave the kids a ride around the block in a real dump truck. Each kid made their own safety vest out of a paper sack. Everyone went home with their own plastic hardhat. My two year old boy thought this was better than his visit to see Santa. They totally set the standard this year. I am not sure if I will be able to top it for our March birthday boy. I am posting photos below. Make sure to check out the totally adorable cake.

Let's Eat

2012-01-17T16:07:00.004-05:00

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Super Bowl Menu

The Super Bowl is all about snacking. This menu provides a variety of options. Make sure to keep all your hot items hot and your cold items cold. You don’t want your guest leaving with an unwanted parting gift.

Main Dish:

Party Sub/ Deli Tray/Homemade Sandwich Platter

Homemade Chili and Cornbread Muffins

Appetizers:

Variety of Chips and Crackers

Cheese Ball or Cheese Tray

Buffalo and Lemon Pepper Wings

Veggie Tray

Relish Tray

Cold Dips:

Salsa

Onion

Creamy Dill

Curry

10-Layer Mexican

Hot Dips

Artichoke

Buffalo Chicken

Nacho Cheese

Side Dishes:

Fruit Salad

Potato Salad

Pasta Salad

Broccoli Salad

Kids:

Hot Dogs

Make Your Own Grilled Cheese Station

Drinks:

Hot Cocoa

Hot Cider

Hot Water and Teabag assortment

Coffee

Soda

Lemonade

Sweet Tea

Super Bowl Playlist

2012-01-17T09:45:00.005-05:00

If you push the play button, a small clip from each song will play.

Star Spangled Banner, LeAnn Rime
Everybody Have Fun Tonight, Wang Chung
Eye of the Tiger, Survivor
You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
We Will Rock You, Queen
The Monday Night Football Song, Hank Williams Jr.
Tubthumping, Chumbawamba
Let’s Get it Started, The Black Eyed Peas
Get Ready for This, The Hit Crew
(Simply) The Best, Tina Turner
A Little Less Conversation, Elvis Presley
Holler Back (Football Mix), The Lost Trailers
We Are the Champions, Queen
The Winner Takes it All, Abba

Super Treat!

2012-01-12T14:06:00.004-05:00

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This yummy football treat recipe is from ricekrispies.com:

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
OR 4 cups miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 cups Cocoa Rice Krispies®
Canned frosting or decorating gel

Directions:
1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted.
2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Cool slightly. Using buttered hands shape mixture into sixteen 3-inch footballs. Decorate with frosting. Best if served the same day.

MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add peanut butter, stirring until melted. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.

Note: For best results, use fresh marshmallows. 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme can be substituted for marshmallows. Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.

Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in single layer on wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Savvy Tip: Putting Christmas Away

2012-01-11T14:48:00.013-05:00

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Happy New Year to everyone! Resolutions on my mind and confession being good for the soul, I have a confession to make: I am just now putting away my Christmas tree. Doesn’t it seem like it takes twice as long to put them away as it does to take them out?

I’d like to say that I was leaving all the decorations up until Kings Day (January 6th) and this was my plan from the start, but I can’t. We had a house full of out-of-town guests through January 4th. We tackled the outside decorations first, because we didn’t want the neighbors to know it was still Christmas at our house. And here I am . . .
Savvy Tip One:

I can’t take the credit. I think it might have been in the Martha Stewart Magazine a decade ago (I know it was before jail). I hot-glued plastic cups to pieces of cardboard, sized to fit into my storage tub. It is the perfect way to store all those little ornaments that don’t have boxes.

I labeled this storage tub “Kids”. It is full of unbreakable ornaments that they can handle when decorating the tree each year. Not having to monitor what they are touching makes tree-trimming move along much faster.

How many times have you put the last box into the attic, embraced the New Year, and spotted a forgotten decoration? (At my house there always seems to be one or two or three or four. . . that escape being packed each year!) Exhausted, my first thought is always, I wonder if I could get away with leaving it up all year long. What a great reminder it would be! The Christmas colors, the red and green, are all about Jesus, His death and the Life He now gives.

Something tells me that I am the only one who would ever see the symbolism. The neighbors would think we turned into That Family. You know them, that family that leaves their decorations out all year and is in violation of just about every HOA rule—every neighborhood has one. I suppose the best way to display our faith is to love our neighbors a little better this year.

Savvy Tip Two:

I keep a tub marked “Christmas Oops” just inside the attic door. It gives me easy access to put away my little discoveries (It’s also handy for new purchases made throughout the year)—always with a little smile on my face as I remember Christ. We never really put Christmas away at our house.

Get Your Game On

2012-01-11T11:00:00.001-05:00

Games make for a great Super Bowl party. They keep the big game fun and engaging for football novices. If someone doesn’t understand the rules, they are not going to enjoy the game. I like to give them something else to do. I also give away fun prizes—always a crowd pleaser, especially for the kids.

The first time I had a Super Bowl party, I hired a babysitter and set up a “kid zone” with video games, movies, toys, crafts, etc. I was surprised that they all ended up watching the game with the adults and my babysitter money was wasted. They desperately wanted to go home with a prize and were hyper-focused on winning.

Tongue Fumble:
This is the kids’ favorite game. They hide and lurk waiting for someone to fumble. Anyone who wants to play is given 10 poker chips as they arrive. We use small plastic cups to hold them—they were bought on clearance and say “Super Bowl XXXVII” Since no one ever takes the time to make the Roman numeral conversion, it has gone unnoticed for 8 years. (OK Dr. Thomson, the college professor noticed, but I don’t think he counts, he notices everything.).

A list of words is posted for everyone to see. These are words players are not allowed to say. If someone catches a player saying one of those words, they have to hand over one chip. At the end of the evening, the winner is the person with the most chips. House Rule: No combining chips. The words I use are: team, ball touchdown, quarterback, Super Bowl, and pass.

The large sign I made in 2003 did not survive the year in my attic. This year I printed out labels to put on the cups. I also made small signs. I am going to laminate them to use as placemats on the TV trays.

Instead of chips you could also use football player cards or pennies. This year I found these adorable silver football helmets in the craft aisle.

Stay tuned for future posts on Bingo, football trivia, and the game pool.

Look the Part

2012-01-09T16:32:00.003-05:00

If you are a football super fan, you already have a closet full of jerseys and t-shirts to wear on Super Bowl Sunday. If football is new to you, don’t forget to pick out your party outfit long before the big day. I once found myself looking for anything orange to wear 20 minutes before my guests started arriving. Sadly, the only orange item in my closet was my son’s pumpkin costume. I am not sure what it was doing in there, but I found myself wondering if I could use it to whip up a quick scarf in time. I decided to go with a neutral, all black outfit. As everyone started arriving in their cute costumes (excuse me, team colors), I felt a little sad.

The following year, I ordered referee shirts (excuse me, jerseys) for both my husband and myself. Now, I don’t have to pick one side over the other. It's a very good way to welcome fans from both teams into my home without offending anyone. I wear it with a pair of black yoga pants, which makes it unbelievably comfortable—like going to a party in my PJs.

Over the years I have also added some fun costume jewelry. One year I ordered football beads and the pre-teen girls made bracelets for everyone. I also have a new whistle. I can call a foul when I see my kids (or husband) breaking the house rules.

Are you ready for some football?!

2012-01-08T18:05:00.002-05:00

Gooooooo team! If you are a football fan, you are watching faithfully as teams vie for a champion slot in the Super Bowl. If you are like me, all you want to know is what color to decorate with for the party.

Waiting makes this uber organized planner hyper-ventilate as the calendar ticks closer to Super Sunday. Color is an important party detail. It affects everything from the decorations to the napkins, to the frosting on the cake. And there is nothing you can do, but wait. My super powers are organization and time-management, not patience. As super powers are often genetic, Shelley is missing that gene, too.

Super Bowl is, hands down, my favorite party of the year—and I don’t even care about football. Over the years I have developed games and activities that make it fun for everyone—the serious sports critic (I call him the recliner quarterback), the I-played-football-in-high-school-and-listen-to-sports-radio-for-the-highlight-so-everyone-thinks-I-watched-the-big-game-but-I-work-60-hours-a-week-and-have-4-kids-so-we-all-know-I-have-no-free-time fan (I call him Darling Husband), the woman who asked her brother-in-law if the Detroit Tigers made the football playoffs this year (If you don’t know what is wrong with that question, this is you. It is also me.), the five-year-old boy who asks 300 questions before the games starts and 3000 before half-time, and the teenager who wants to learn more about football, but thinks he is too cool to ask any questions, young, old, male, female, the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker.

It is time to send out your invitations. According to CBSSports.com, the Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis will air on Sunday, February 5th at 6:00 p.m., ET and it will appear on the NBC network. The game time will begin at 3:00 p.m., PT on the west coast. This means that kickoff will probably be at 6:30 (they have to introduce everyone and do a coin toss first). If you set your party start time at 5:30pm ET, your guests will have enough time to say their hellos, fix a plate of food, and find their favorite viewing spot in time for the kickoff. Go team party planner!

Reindeer Food - Classmate gifts!

2011-12-16T13:17:00.003-05:00

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As I mentioned below, I'm learning how to balance my new life. My weekends consist of crafts with the kids. Last weekend my boys and I made reindeer food for 40 of their closest friends...aka their classmates ;)! It's moments like this, that I miss their tiny European classes (last year they had an average of 8 kids in their class...but I digress).

What is reindeer food, you ask? Well, its a cute idea that Jo came up with when we lived closer together. We would make these and sell them at local craft fairs, and it was SUPER popular!

This is a cute, cheap, way to spread Christmas joy to all your children's friends

What you need:
Equal parts of the following...

Krispy cereal
Oats/oatmeal
Birdseed (I omitted this. I'd like to think it's because I'm in Africa, but who am I kidding? There is birdseed here...I'm lazy!)

Also needed:
A few shakes of colored sugar (red and green add to the seasonal cheer)...I ran out of green sugar, and couldn't just run to the supermarket, so I actually made my own...see the savvy tip below!
Sandwich bags (preferable those without the zip tops, but you can always cut off the zip, like I had to do this year)
Ribbon or yarn (you will see in the above photo, I used ribbon...much cuter. But this year I used yarn...limited craft supplies and all :)!)
Card stock and a cute poem!

For 40 bags, I used about 3 cups each, and the boys scooped in about 1/4 cup of the mix in each sandwich bag.

Directions: Place all the ingredients (except the sugar) in a large mixing bowl and stir CAREFULLY to combine. Scoop about 1/4 cup into a sandwich bag. Add a few shakes of the sugar to each bag. Once the food is in the bag, tie off the bag with the poem (printed on card stock and punched hole!).

As the poem says, on Christmas Eve, the kids take the food to the lawn, and sprinkle it for the reindeer to feed on while Santa is placing the gifts. (Can you tell Jo and I grew up in AZ...no fireplaces, hence no chimneys, hence Santa landed in our back yard!) This is why birdseed is helpful...the birds will hopefully eat the evidence before the kids realize they have to go check out if the food is gone.

Savvy Tip: If you don't have a large yard, careful about just sprinkling it in the road. Or you may find yourself, in a robe...at 5am...sweeping up the evidence...while explaining to the neighbors what you are doing...YES THIS HAPPENED TO ME, CHRISTMAS 2007!

Our Poem (if you use our poem, you must reference us...thanks for understanding!)

Savvy Tip: Don't have colored sugar, but you have food coloring? Make your own colored sugar. Use 1 cup of sugar and at least 2 drops of food coloring (the more drops, the darker the color). Add to a ZipLock bag and shake vigorously for about a minute...VIOLA! Colored sugar!

And here are my apologies...

2011-12-14T03:31:00.002-05:00

Picture above is property of
MomsPartyCafe/Party Savvy Moms...
Photo by Shelley

Merry Christmas all! The love and support that we have received from pintrest and all of our loyal followers is AMAZING. As Jo alluded to in our "Apologies for my extended absence" post, we both have had some big news of late!

In her spoiler, Jo mentions Ethiopia, and that, no it is not where her new little angel comes from. Her crazy little sister moved yet again! Because of my DH's job, we moved to Ethiopia about 5 months ago. It has been a wild ride. I have alluded to our lifestyle in a couple of posts, but now is the time to elaborate. We have been getting so many new, wonderful, comments and emails. Those I've responded to may have noticed that I respond "in the middle of the night." I try and answer emails in the morning, which will be most of our readers' "middle of the night."

My DH's job keeps us on the move. We move every few years, and we have now lived on 5 continents in 5 countries (in just under 10 years). Our latest move brought us to Ethiopia. And yes, WE LOVE IT! Although it is a 3rd world country, it's not what you imagine. The people are kind and generous, and the country is just beautiful!

The other big news is that I have gone back to work full time, for the first time since my two angels were born. It has been a lot to get used to. I'm feeling like a bad mom; so all you other working moms out there, send me some love. I have a really good friend, who is an AMAZING lawyer and an even more AMAZING mom, tell me: "Give it 6 months, and you will completely forget about all the free time you had." Now, really SAHMs, how much free time do we have. I feel like I just traded in PTA, class-mom, and carpool, for the duties of the office. It's just that mommy guilt takes over more often now, right ladies?

So, in the last 5 months, along with being a new working mom, I have planned 2 birthday parties, hosted Thanksgiving for 3 families, made "Reindeer Food" (post to come soon), made dozens of brownies (very coveted overseas), and I am in the midst of planning Christmas dinner for 6 families...

Yesterday, to top it all off, I get a phone call on my way home from work, from my 8 year old that says "Mom, little man has had an accident." And as much as I love Ethiopia, the traffic is beyond horrible. DH did his best driving and got me home in time to find out the 6 year old had tried to ride our 11 year old lab mix! The nanny did a great job carrying for him, and he's fine. A big shiner but mostly a bruised ego, and I think there were lessons learned all around.

Please keep sending us emails, and comments! We do LOVE them. We are trying to figure out how to get the word out there more, so send suggestions as well.

Stay tuned...I have to download some pictures of my weekend project with the kids; and that was making Reindeer Food for all their friends! I will post pics, recipe and a cute poem to go with it all!

Thanks again for all the support and love and...

PLEASE continue to come back for you daily cup of Jo and Shelley!

Are we having turkey (insert my nephew's voice)?

2011-11-03T14:23:00.004-04:00

The first week of January, after just moving to the same state as Jo 4 months earlier, I entered my sister's house and my then 6 year old nephew threw himself onto the floor hollering, "Oh no, are we having turkey?!?" We laughed until our sides ached, as we realized throughout November and December, every time we had gathered together, a turkey was the guest of honor, as we gave thanks and filled our bellies. (Although, not little man's favorite food--can you tell?).

There is more than one way to ~~skin a cat~~ cook a turkey!

If your family is ANYTHING like ours and you have to attend multiple holiday gatherings, try to mix it up a little by preparing a turkey in a new way. Scared to try a new recipe and afraid you will mess it up? Here are some savvy tips learned from our mistakes...(DOH...I guess I should have changed names to protect the innocent).

I, Shelley, made my famous Spiced Turkey for Thanksgiving one year. Not only does this turkey recipe produce a very moist and delicious bird, but because of its secret ingredient, while deglazing the drippings, it produces a succulent gravy. What is this secret ingredient? Apple cider.

The year my first son was born, I hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for my family and 3 other families. As many of you have discovered (or will discover) as the hostess, you are usually last to sit down to eat. This was the first time these guests would taste this recipe. All I could talk about was the amazing gravy that is produced and how they would never forget this dinner. I soon discovered I was right, but not for the reason I boasted about.

All the guests sat down to enjoy the meal, slathered their plates with the famous gravy (turkey, potatoes, stuffing) and dug in. From the kitchen, I yelled, "How is it?" . . . "Great!" "Fantastic!" and "Delicious!"

I finished in the kitchen, sat down, made my plate, and poured the gravy. As I take my first bite, I couldn't help but spit it out. I take all the plates away, and ask, "How could you eat this?" What was the fatal mistake? (FYI, I blame mommy brain, as my son was not quite 2 months old yet.) I used apple cider vinegar and not apple cider. In a panic I call up my southern sister and this was her tip (and now our tip to you)...

TIP FOR YOU, the Savvy Mom:
As Jo explained to me, in the south "we fry our turkeys, so there are no drippin's" (hear her accent?). Jo (and now I) always has a packet of turkey gravy mix on hand (99¢ at Kroger). But don't just follow the directions on the back, use Jo's tip, and no one will know the difference!

The packet calls for 1 cup of water. Here is your substitute: cook 1/2 cup of white wine until it reduces to 1/4 cup. Combine the 1/4 cup of reduced wine with 3/4 cup of chicken broth (canned works perfect). Then follow the packet directions. So whether you fry your turkey, ruin your gravy, or have turkey takeout left over from the restaurant (don't laugh, our mom did this our entire life) you will have a succulent gravy, from an envelope.

Time to start planning for your Christ-Centered Christmas

2011-10-13T15:48:00.001-04:00

C
It is time to start planning for your Advent celebration. Please take some time to re-visit this post from last year on my Annual Advent Workshop.

This year Advent begins on November 27th. I am starting to put together this year’s big plan—although it still feels like August outside and I am just not feeling it. It doesn’t really help that the house across the street has been under construction for the last month and all the clanging and banging is starting to give me a headache. I think I need a little prayer to get me in the mood ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... (that is me saying a quick prayer).

My craft project “formula” is: three hand-made crafts to give away (My guests leave with Grandma, Aunt Shelley, and Uncle Mike’s Christmas presents ready for gifting--no Chinese foamcore kits please) + one Christmas decoration for the whole family to keep + 1 simple craft for each child to take home.

Christmas decoration for the whole family to keep

Last year I found the cutest paint-your-own, ceramic Nativity kits on sale after Christmas for 90% off.

I am a little nervous. I think they are a little too complicated for the short timeframe we have. I am also picturing little painted fingerprints all over my furniture. I think I might chicken out and let everyone just take it home as a parting gift. I will let you know how it goes.

Simple craft for each child to take home

I found these cute bracelets on Amazon.com. I have done a similar project before. The kids loved it. However, the kit came with plastic string. It was too difficult for the kids to tie. I am planning to have some twine and elastic on hand just in case.

Two down, three to go . . . Stay tuned for more!

Halloween Costume Contest!

2011-10-13T14:58:00.001-04:00

Yea! We love this contest. Check it out.

http://family.go.com/2011-family-halloween-costume-contest/?cmp=NLC-FOB_FFun_100611_MainImage_FrightfullyCuteCostumeContest

Silver Pumpkin Hunt

2011-10-04T12:10:00.001-04:00

Do you Fall Festival? The morning air is crisp and the leaves are turning colors. In our house that means it’s time for Fall Festival. In these parts, fall festivals are a common community, school PTA, or church event for fellowship and fundraising.

One fun event to try at your Fall Festival is the Silver Pumpkin Hunt. Simply spray-paint small pumpkins and hide them (some in plain sight) around your Fall Festival. Those who find a pumpkin may turn it in for a prize. You could also have your hunt Easter Egg style, with a scheduled start time and age limits. Happy Hunting!

Fake a Homemade Costume

2011-09-23T14:04:00.002-04:00

As a young Girl Scout, I learned to sew. Both Shelley and I took classes in sewing, quilting, and knitting (What can I say, we're dorks). In fact she makes the most amazing crochet animals. (Hey Shelley you should post photos of those). I even own my very own Martha Stewart recommended sewing machine. It cost way too much money and was a tough sell to my husband 15 years and several tax brackets ago. I wooed him with promises of never having to hire out his tailoring and mending or pay retail for curtains and bedding again—it would practically pay for itself.

After the birth of our 3rd child, my craft room became a nursery and I haven’t seen my sewing machine since. Frankly, sewing projects take space, time, and patience, all of which I no longer have. (It’s sad how I loose a little of myself with each new child, but that is a conversation for another day. I know, not a super mommy thing to say, but tell me you haven’t felt the same way at least once in your life).

Our dear friends throw the best Halloween party every year—costumes mandatory. One of the highlights of my 11 year old daughter’s life was winning the “Best Costume” award at their party when she was 6. She has been trying to regain her crown every year since. Each year she picks the theme and the two of us create the costumes together—after convincing (and sometimes bribing) her brothers to participate.

I stopped buying costumes years ago, partly because I’m cheap and partly because costume manufacturers have decided that our daughters are never too young to start dressing in slutty little costumes. Last year Superstar (my pet name for aforementioned daughter) chose the theme Alice in Wonderland. I started my search online and this is what I found.

OVER MY DEAD BODY! What are these companies thinking? And what kind of parent is buying this? They wouldn’t be selling it if someone wasn’t buying it. Cyber Mommies, please tell me I am not alone on this.

I searched everywhere and could not find an age-appropriate version of this costume. It was time to fake it. No one knew. In fact, they all thought that we spent a ton of money. Here is my no-sew creation:

Darling Husband: I purchased the wig. The top hat belonged to my grandfather. The coat, scarves, vest, messenger bag, gloves, socks, and shoes came from my closet. Total cost $14

Superstar: I purchased the dress at an upscale consignment shop for $10 (Which she wore again on Easter Sunday). I ordered the apron from Ebay for 4.95 (and it makes an appearance every time we bake cookies). Superstar made a “Drink Me” bottle and “Eat Me” cake that she carried in a little purse.

Woobie : I purchased the hat, nose, and clock at the local party store for $13. Everything else was from our closet.

Total Price: $41.95, Winning the “Best Costume Contest”: Priceless

FYI: I dressed as the Queen of Hearts. I have been forbidden from posting photos of the other children and I can’t find one of myself without them. I absolutely respect their request and will do a better job of taking photos this year.

Stay tuned for this year’s totally top secret costumes—the costume contest business is cut-throat.

Apologies for my Extended Absence

2011-09-23T13:46:00.002-04:00

Thank you so much for all your kind email messages. I apologize for my unexplained neglect of the blog. After a lengthy conversation with Shelley yesterday (It was two hours and I used up all my nap-time me-time, but it was totally worth it.) I have decided that it’s time for me to return from my unofficial leave of absence. Thank you Shelley for filling my size 9 ½ shoes (Although, borrowing each other’s shoes is not exactly new to us.), holding down the fort, and responding to email messages.

I often tell my children that you never really know what is going on in other people’s homes. That is why you should never judge others. Seriously, how many times have you been totally shocked when the “perfect” neighborhood family is split apart because of cheating and financially monkey business? I must be the world’s worst judge of character because I NEVER see that stuff coming.

Anyway, there is no cheating or financial monkey business going on here (At least none that I know of and please don’t tell me if you do. Denial works much better than Zoloft.) However, we have been going through some major life changes. We are in the final stages of adopting our 4th child. It has been several months of endless, sleepless nights, court dates, room decorating, new sibling rivalry, and life. Even Wonder Woman can’t hold it together all the time—although, she always looks good trying.

Over the last few months I hosted two children’s birthday parties, a 4th of July picnic, and a back to school party-- photos and details to follow. I totally stole Shelley’s Toy Story party--games, cake, alien cupcakes for school, etc.. She even shipped me the decorations. It was the easiest party I have ever thrown. Thanks for all the ideas!

I am knee-deep into Fall Festival and Advent Workshop. Stay tuned for details. I am sure that Shelley will be updating us soon on her recent life changes. Spoiler Alert: Ethiopia (that is all I am going to say and no, that is not where our new child is from).

Back-to-School Party...

2011-09-01T07:20:00.001-04:00

Here's an idea, why don't you schedule the party like a school day? As soon as the kids arrive, you can split them into groups, and have them rotate throughout the party. We suggest decorating in simple primary colors; red, blue, and yellow. As the "students" arrive to your party, have them randomly pull a color from a basket. This will be their homeroom color. They then gather at their designated homeroom spot. As the party continues, ring a bell between the following sessions... PE (games and activities), Art (arts and crafts), lunch time (refreshments), and recess (free play).

Here are some ideas for games and arts and crafts!

Games:

paper airplane contest
twister
Simon-Says
Pencil Walk: (Just like the traditional Cake Walk game but with pencils as prizes instead)
Teacher’s Bag: (Get a paper lunch bag and put in various small items in it, like paper clip, eraser, chalk, gluestick, etc. Let each person close their eyes and try to feel and guess what is in the bag)

Arts and Crafts:

Decorate a Pencil Box: Buy some inexpensive plastic pencil boxes and use stickers, permanent markers, to decorate a pencil box. Favors like pencils, erasers, stickers, can be given at the end of the party together with the pencil box as the perfect Back To School favor.
Make your own bookmarks
finger painting
oragami
clay/play-doh

Suggestions for free play:

Four square
relay races
water guns/balloons

Stay tuned for decorating ideas and party menu!

Start a new tradition

2011-08-31T09:29:00.001-04:00

The first day of school is upon us. For many of us it means a return to car pool, after-school activities, homework, and a long farewell to “me time”. I like to mark the first day of school with another tradition—Mommy’s Morning Out. After you have taken your back-to-school photos, dropped off the kids, and secretly spied on them through the window to make sure they are alright (although, we are all secretly and selfishly hoping they will have that “I miss my mommy moment”) invite the other mommies out to coffee at your favorite local coffee house (insert plea here for supporting locally owned business).

This is the easiest party to organize. All you have to do is send out the invitations. Everyone will purchase their own food and beverages. You will all have things in common and the conversations will flow uncontrollably. If it is a success, try to make it a weekly event. When my husband complains about the $10 a week I am spending, I reassure him that it is cheaper than a trip to the psychiatric hospital.

Teacher gifts...continued...crayon wreaths

2011-05-08T09:51:00.007-04:00

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I have to bring this up again, since my kids still have 3 weeks of school left, and I'm still dealing with end of the school year madness :)...By the way, I'm glad you had fun in Disney, Jo, but am SUPER jealous that as you were riding rides and having tasty food, I was still doing carpool, and PSG...I digress....
I made these crayon wreaths for the teachers. I made a total of 4, but am sharing just 2...one with the longest name, and one with the shortest name...

What you need:

12" embroidery hoop, or basketry hoop
8" embroidery hoop, or basketry hoop
(instead of the embroidery hoops, you can also use the styrofoam wreaths. I found them a bit thick, so I cut the in half and then painted them. My friend also had a savvy tip and you can cover the styrofoam in a nice clean fabric. Mine were already painted...maybe next year)
box of 64 crayons
ribbon
hot glue
Stickers

Directions: Place the 8" hoop in side the 12" hoop with equal distance between all edges. Arrange the crayons along the 2 hoops. Hot glue the crayons to the hoops.

Savvy Tip: Keep the unglued crayons arranged on the hoops. It will keep the spacing.

Tie the bow around the 2 crayons that you want at the top. Create a separate loop and glue the edges together to create the hanging loop. Place as many (or as little) stickers as you like. Personalize with the teacher's name, if you'd like. Super easy :)!

¿Qué hay que beber?...

2011-05-05T03:54:00.003-04:00

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What will you have to drink? Today, I'm going to talk about, margaritas (of course), Agua Fresha, and Mexican beer!

Margaritas:
Of course, no Cinco De Mayo fiesta would be complete without margaritas! There are a few options. If you haven't been able to tell, one of my favorite food genres is Mexican. We eat Mexican food A LOT. Also, my all time favorite drink is the margarita. I like them made from scratch, from a alcohol-included mix, and virgin from a mix; I like the traditional lime flavor, and strawberry; I like them frozen and on-the-rocks. And I am here to provide you with what you will need to make all of them, if you like!

Margarita's from scratch (this recipe was given to me by a very dear friend, and it's the only scratch recipe I use now)...yes I'm sharing (see Jo, your little sister DOES share LOL):

Mix together:

2 parts tequila
1 part cointreau
1 part-fresh squeezed lime juice
1 part limeade
pinch of salt

Rim your glasses with salt (See the Savvy Tip below)
Mix all the ingredients in a pitcher, and chill until ready to serve.

Savvy Tip: To create the restaurant styled salt-rimmed glass, take a lime wedge and rub around the edge. Turn the glass upside down and twist through a pile of salt (coarse salt works best, like kosher salt. You can also sometimes find a tub just for making margarita salted glasses). If you are making strawberry margaritas, you can do the same thing but substitute sugar for the salt.

Strawberry Version:
Use all the same ingredients as above, but you will rim the glasses with sugar.

In a blender combine one package of frozen strawberries, thawed. Cover and blend until smooth. If you want, strain the mixture to remove seeds. Add the blend to the margarita mix.

By the way, you can really make ANY fruit flavored margarita. Just substitute the strawberries with your favorite fruit: mango, blackberry, raspberry, etc.

On-the-Rocks vs. Frozen
I have found this is all based on preference. I am an equal opportunity margarita drinker, but know people who will only drink frozen or only drink on-the-rocks. Either way, you will have it covered.

On-the-Rocks: Use the above recipes or below mixes. Place the desired amount of ice in a glass, and then pour your mixture over the rocks...DONE!

Frozen: Place the desired amount of mixture in the blender and add a few handfuls of ice. Blend to your desired thickness. More ice = thicker margarita! DONE!

DISCLAIMER: We are not/not here to promote drinking. Everything can be enjoyed in moderation, and if you do plan on drinking (even just ONE drink) please, please, please have a designated driver (DD). My husband and I take turns. If he wants to drink at a certain event, I drive and vice versa; just one way to be safe. And we certainly do not tolerate under age drinking, so if you are under 21...please enjoy the virgin versions!

Virgin Margaritas:

José Cuervo makes a great mix. (Again, we are not promoting drinking, and I'm certainly not promoting any brand in particular, this is just one I particularly enjoy). This mix is made to mix with Tequila. But, you can use it as is. You will now have a great alternative for those who don't drink, or who are being responsible enough to be the DD.

José Cuervo also makes a FANTASTIC mix, alcohol included:

And, if strawberry is you flavor of choice, both the above come in strawberry.

OK, I think we have the margarita area covered...let me know if you think I've missed something, or have questions!

Want a non-alcoholic beverage, that still stays true to your theme? How about...

Agua Frescas

Agua Frescas are "fresh waters" that are infused with fruits, flowers, grains or seeds. Mix one of these light, healthy sippers at your party. They are super easy to prepare.

Based on the fruit you choose the recipe (water level mainly) changes. I'm going to provide you with 3 versions:

Strawberry Agua Fresca:
6 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
4 cups cold water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup honey
ice cubes

In a blender combine half of the halved strawberries and half of the cold water. Cover and blend well. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Discard solids. Repeat with the remaining strawberries and remaining water.

Stir in lime juice and 1/4 cup honey. Serve immediately over ice or chill until ready.

Orange-Papaya Agua Fresca:
4 cups peeled, seeded and cubed ripe papaya (About 3)
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 Tablespoons honey
ice cubes

In a blender combine papaya, orange juice and lime juice. Cover and blend until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Discard solids.

Stir in the water and honey. Serve immediately over ice or chill until ready.

Watermelon Agua Fresca:
1 6 to 8 pound seedless watermelon (aprox. 13 cups)
2 cups cold water
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 Tablespoons honey
ice cubes

Cut the rind from the watermelon and discard. Cut the flesh into 2 inch cubes

In a blender combine about 1/3 of the watermelon cubes and 1/3 of the water. Cover and blend until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. Discard solids. Repeat twice with remaining watermelon and remaining water.

Stir in the lime juice and honey. Serve immediately over ice or chill until ready.

Beer:
Finally, say hola to Mexican beer. Here is a small list of some Mexican beer you may want to consider purchasing for your fiesta:

Corona
Dos Euquis (XX) Amber
Negra Modelo
Pacifico Clara
Tecate

Time to think of your menu...

2011-05-05T03:53:00.001-04:00

Before you begin to plan, you have to keep a few things in mind. How many people are coming? (Remember, if you haven't heard from all your invitees, it's OK to pick up the phone, or send a quick email to see if they plan on attending. Just let them know, you are in the menu planning process and want an accurate count) What type of party are you having? a sit down dinner? informal buffet? just snacks and cocktails? It is COMPLETELY up to you. Jo and I have done all of the above. But, in order to have a successful menu, you have to know what you are cooking. We are going to provide you with some ideas, and recipes, but by no means is this an all inclusive list, and you don't even have to use them. If you have some recipes you would like to share, PLEASE DO! We are always willing to try some new savvy recipes.

Growing up in the southwest, I often have Mexican themed food at my parties (whether it's Cinco De Mayo, or Game Night). A huge success, and very little work is a...

TACO BAR!

Here's what you need, all suggestions:

Taco shells (either store bought, or handmade)
small flour tortillas (for those who like the soft tacos)
assortment of meats (here are some ideas: ground beef, shredded beef, pork and/or chicken, diced chicken, etc)....stay tuned for recipes
shredded cheese
sour cream
guacamole...stay tuned for recipes
salsa...stay tuned for recipes
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes

All you have to do, is set this up buffet style, with the shells/tortillas at the beginning, the meat in the middle (preferably in a crock pot/slower cooker to keep warm), and all the fixings at the end. Your guests make their own plates, and enjoy!

Here are some tips for sides:

Refried beans: Don't get scared! I NEVER make these from scratch, but here are some Savvy Tips to make your beans leaving your guests asking for the recipe (I'm serious...I'm always asked...it will be up to you if you divulge my your secret). Place the canned beans in a pot and warm on the stove. Add garlic powder (to taste, I use probably more than the average ~~Joe~~ José) and a generous amount of shredded cheese (I use cheddar). Stir to combine, and heat through until cheese melts. Sorry I don't have an exact recipe, I make this weekly, and just eye ball it. You can never have too much cheese or garlic (at least in our family).
Black Beans: Another dish, where I'm always asked for the recipe, and I actually do have a recipe for this LOL. This is another staple dish in my family (outside Mexican themed nights) because my VERY picky 4 year old will actually eat these:

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 c. onion, chopped fine (Savvy Tip...I use frozen onions...shhhhh...they're in the frozen section)
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped fine (Again...I use frozen peppers...shhhhh...sometimes you can find them in frozen section WITH the onions included)
1 c. diced tomatoes (I use canned, drained)
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drain and rinse
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic salt
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
Dash of Tabasco (optional...but even my 4 year old doesn't object)

Directions:
In large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Cook onion and green pepper until crisp tender. Stir in tomatoes, beans, thyme, and garlic salt. Cook 3 minutes; add vinegar and Tobassco. Cook for 5 minutes.

Rice...ALWAYS a necessity for Mexican food. There are many types of Mexican rice, but here is Jo's secret...cook it with salsa. We also have another Savvy Tip when cooking ANY white rice. Substitute water with CHICKEN BROTH. We promise, promise, promise, promise...you will never cook your rice with water again. Here is our white rice recipe:

For a serving of 4 (You will have to adjust to how much you want for your party):
1 cup uncooked white rice (I personally LOVE Jasmine rice)
2 cups canned/boxed chicken broth

Directions:
Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add rice to the boiling broth, and stir with a fork. Return broth and rice to a boil, and stir once more with a fork and cover. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Every stove top is different, for example, it takes my rice 17 minutes :)!

MEXICAN VERSION:
Substitute 2 cups chicken broth with 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and 1/2 cup salsa (either jarred or homemade). Follow the same directions...we don't think you will be disappointed. Both Jo and I have tried MANY Mexican rice versions, and by far Jo's is the best!

Shredded Meat (this can be made the day before, and just reheated in a crock pot for the party): Whether I use, chicken, pork, or beef, I prepare it all the same way. For the beef/pork find a boneless roast you like, for the chicken, I always use chicken breasts, but that's just my preference. This recipe is like the above refried beans, in that I don't follow an exact recipe, but it really is hard to mess up. PLEASE contact me if you have questions.

Ingredients:
Protein of choice (beef, chicken, pork)
A couple cups of diced onions
2 cans of green chilies
Salsa, either homemade or jarred

Directions:
Wrap your protein of choice in aluminum foil and place in a shallow baking dish (to catch any leaks). Place in a preheated oven of 300 degrees. Cook for 4-5 hours.

Right before the meat finishes cooking, in a large pot saute onions and green chilies in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Once the meat is finished cooking, place in the pot with the onions and green chilies, and shred with 2 forks. Add your salsa, and stir to combine. That's it!
Ground beef: If you choose ground beef, brown your beef in a skillet. Drain the fat. Add onions, green chilies and salsa, and combine. That's it!

Carnitas: Mexican for SUPER yummy pork! Check out onelovemama's blog for a mouth watering recipe leaving you wanting more.

Here are some other recipes to keep in mind:

Salsas:

Salsa Picante
Ingredients:
4 medium tomatoes
1 medium onion
1/4 cup cilantro
1 to 2 fresh jalapenos or serrano chili peppers, seeded and halved (Savvy Tip: Handle peppers with gloves. When I was in high school, I was making salsa, and handled the peppers bare handed, and then touched my face. My face was on fire for HOURS!)
2 cloves garlic, minced (I use jarred)
1/2 cup chopped green sweet peppers
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano or one 1 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

FYI...although I am ALL about the frozen onions and peppers in the above recipes, I always use fresh when making salsa!

Directions:
Place tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until coarsely chopped. Add onion, cilantro chili peppers, and garlic. Cover and blend or process until finely chopped.

Transfer tomato mixture to a medium saucepan. Stir in sweet pepper, lemon juice, oregano, bay leaf, sugar and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 30 minutes or until salsa reaches desired consistency.

Discard bay leaf. Cool salsa slightly. Cover and chill for 1 hour up to a week before serving.

Salsa Verde (my personal favorite!)
Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh tomatillos, husks removed, or one 13 ounce can tomatillos, rinsed and drained
What are tomatillos: Also called Mexican green tomatoes, the fruit within the tomatillo husk, is firm herby and slightly lemony.

1/4 cup cilantro
2 Tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 fresh jalapeno or serreno chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Directions:
Finely chop tomatillos. In a small bowl stir together chopped tomatillos, cilantro, red onion, chili pepper, salt and sugar. Cover and chill for 4 hours to 3 days before serving.

Guacamole:

Chunky Guacamole
Ingredients:
2/3 cups finely chopped, roma tomatos
1/4 cup sliced green onion
2 Tablespoon lime juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 to 2 garlic, minced (again, I used jarred)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 fresh jalapeno or serreno chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
2 very ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and coarsely mashed

Combine all the ingredients together and stir together. Savvy Tip: SAVE YOUR AVOCADO PITS...once your ingredients are combined, add the pits to the guacamole. This will prevent you guacamole from going gray!

Stay tuned tomorrow for drink ideas, from the coveted Margarita to Agua Frescas.

Teacher Appreciation or Teacher gift? You choose!

2011-05-04T03:54:00.003-04:00

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This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Last night, my sons and I made candy topiaries. Since Jo has also started our dialogue regarding the end of the year, and room parties, you can also do this for the party. They make great table center pieces. If you have more than one teacher (say a main teacher and an aide) then you have your gifts AND decorations.

A candy topiary tree can be created using a variety of candies. They really make great gifts. Every time I make one, the first response is "I've never seen anything like this." Unlike flowers, they won't wither away. In fact, the best part of a candy tree topiary is that not only does it look attractive, you can eat it.

What you need:

Candy of choice (not too much, because otherwise you will eat the extra as you blog)
wooden dowel
Styrofoam ball or cone to decorate
smaller Styrofoam ball, cut in half, for the bottom (or plaster of Paris... but with this option, the pot can not be reused)
Hot glue
Flower pot
Paint pens, glitter glue, or other crafts to decorate.

Instructions:

Center the end of the wooden dowel at one end of the Styrofoam ball. Push the dowel into the ball firmly. Do not push it all the way through, however push it far enough so that the weight of the candy on the ball later will not cause it to fall off the dowel. You can also put some craft glue on the end of the dowel to ensure it stays in the Styrofoam ball. Wrap the dowel with the ribbon, using the hot glue to hold in place.
If using plaster of Pairs, mix the plaster of Paris according to package directions in the bowl. Pour the mixed wet plaster into the flower pot or cup you are using for your topiary. It should come almost to the top but not quite. Take the end of the wooden dowel that does not have the ball on it and push it into the wet plaster. Be sure it is straight and let the plaster dry.
Place a small spot of glue on the piece of candy and place on the ball. Hold in place a few seconds until it dries. Continue with each piece of candy until the ball is covered in the desired design. A popular method is to start placing the candy at one end and work your way down, but you can put the candy on in any way you like.
Fill the rest of the flower pot with more candy (I used chocolate mini bars this last time---get it? for dirt?), colored pebbles or Easter grass to cover the halved Styrofoam ball or plaster of Paris. If you like, use the paint pens, glitter glue, acrylic paints, etc. to paint a design on your flower pot as a finishing touch.

Let us know what other ideas you have for teacher appreciation gifts. Here are some more that Jo posted on FaceBook and there are some other ideas to the right in the Savvy Etiquette box:

Pick up an extra latte on your way to school and deliver it with a note card that says “A special thank you . . . For providing an extra boost of energy to every part of our children’s education!”

Ask the local coffee shop to donate a carafe of coffee and a platter of scones for the break room. Make a giant card out of poster board to display next to the treats and have the children sign it. Include a small sign that says “Provided by (insert coffee shop name here)” as a thank you for the donation.

Advent Workshop—The Big Plan

2010-11-04T10:00:00.004-04:00

This is the plan I have used for years. It is a casual evening. I provide a soup bar buffet. Guests mingle, eat, and craft.

Each craft station has a sign with step-by-step instructions and a finished sample. They are all simple, easy, do-it-yourself crafts. Each year I vary the crafts to keep things fresh. I also try to incorporate one service project.

Some of the children get together to practice a short skit. They read their lines from index cards. It is not fancy. Then we sing carols and have a wreath lighting demonstration.

I hang out in the wreath section to help people make wreaths. My kids make crafts and play with their friends. My husband hovers near the food.

Schedule of Events:

5:30 Arrival of Guests

5:40 Welcome, Prayer, and Explanation of Activities

5:45 Craft Centers and Buffet Open

6:45 Children’s Skit and Carols

7:00 Wreath Lighting Demonstration

7:15 Closing Remarks

7:30 Cleanup

Craft Centers:

Wreath Making

Jesse Tree Ornaments

Prayer Chains

Christmas Cards for Meals on Wheels

Christmas Story Bracelets

Planning for a Christ-centered Christmas

2010-11-02T12:25:00.008-04:00

Everyone's focus has shifted from Halloween to Thanksgiving (My second favorite holiday of the year). I, however, am knee-deep in planning for Christmas (Stay with me. I have a great reason). November 28^th is the first Sunday in Advent. It is a special day in our house. Each year we celebrate by hosting an Advent wreath making workshop. This is a fun event that really emphasizes the heart of Christmas—Christ. It helps keep us centered. We use our wreaths throughout the season to countdown the coming of Christ, not Santa. If you are not planning to host or attend a workshop, you may still enjoy this tradition at home with your family.

The Advent wreath has become a popular way to count down the days of Advent. Many people don’t know that we have Martin Luther to thank. He recommended its use as a way to educate children of his day. He certainly didn’t invent the wreath itself, because that goes back to ancient Roman times, and probably even earlier. People used wreaths as an Advent decoration long before Luther, but Luther used the wreath as a Christian-education device and thus popularized it. The Advent wreath in its present form started in Germany as a Lutheran family custom. Since Advent wreaths were originally used in the home, most of the ones you find for sale are small. They didn’t become popular in churches until the middle of the twentieth century. Now they are nearly universal. (You didn’t know you were going to get a history lesson today, did you?)

An Advent wreath is made from greens to symbolize continuous life and contains four candles— three purple and one rose. Often a fifth candle (white) is added to the center of the wreath for lighting on Christmas Eve, in celebration of the birth of Jesus.

First Candle Color: Purple Theme: Hope First Sunday in Advent

Second Candle Color: Purple Theme: Love Second Sunday in Advent

Third Candle Color: Purple or pink Theme: Joy Third Sunday in Advent

Fourth Candle Color: Purple Theme: Peace Fourth Sunday in Advent

Optional Center Candle Color: White Theme: Christmas Christmas Day

How to Make a Fresh Advent Wreath

You will need:

4 taper candles (1 pink and 3 violet)
1 white pillar candle
Wreath frame with 4 candle holders
Florist wire and wire cutters (Available at the Dollar Store for $1-score!)
Clippers (for the tree boughs)
Fresh boughs (pine, fir, cedar, spruce, boxwood, and holly---anything available in your region during the holiday season). This is a great time to prepare the bushes in your yard for Christmas light decorating.

Step 1:
With the clippers, snip the boughs into 6-10 inch fronds. Group an assortment of sizes or tree varieties into small bunches of 4-6 fronds. Wire the cut ends of the bunch with florist wire. Repeat.

Step 2:
Affix one end of the florist wire to the wire wreath frame. Take one bunch and affix the bunch to the frame.

Step 3:
Add the next bunch of greenery in the same direction as the first and connect it with the same wire. Repeat this process until all of the bunches have been added to your wreath, save a few. Take a step back from your creation, then fill in any gaps on the wreath with the extra bunches.

As you get to the “end” of the wreath, you may need to pull up your first bunch and tuck the final bunch under it for a seamless look.

Add additional holly berries or pinecones for decoration.

Step 4:
Place the wreath flat on the table where you’d like it displayed. Insert the four taper candles into the holders. Place the white pillar candle in the center of the ring.

Note: Lit candles and fresh wreaths could be a fire hazard if not treated properly. Remember to keep the wreath moist so it stays fresh. And never leave the candles unattended. Replace them before they burn to the level of the wreath.

There are many available devotional booklets to use daily with the Advent wreath. One good online booklet may be found here.

My sons' birthday treats

2010-10-13T16:01:00.007-04:00

My youngest turned 5 yesterday. He has over 20 kids in his class, so I told him he had to limit his party to only 5 friends. I then explained that we would take cupcakes to his class for everyone to enjoy. He picked Toy Story 3 as his theme. Here are the cupcakes we made (Stay tuned to the blog; this weekend we are transforming our house in Pizza Planet):

The claaaaaaw!

(I got the cupcake idea from Disney's family.go.com site)

My oldest son had his 7th birthday party this past weekend. My 7 year wanted a race car themed party (at the bowling alley). We took tire cupcakes (see post below) to his class, and then I made a race car cake for his party!

I came up with this from scratch...literally. Here is what the first cake looked like. But here is a Savvy Mess to Savvy Success: I used the scrap cake to make the wheels!

Halloween Costume time

2010-10-04T12:47:00.002-04:00

Do you make your own costumes? Check out the Photo Contest that Disney's family website is doing...

http://family.go.com/contests/pkg-halloween-costume-contests/?cmp=NLC-FOB_Fcom_092910_MainImage_HWeenSpook_Contest_Fcom

Fall = birthdays, birthdays and more birthdays...

2010-09-24T07:43:00.002-04:00

In my family, and my extended family, fall equals the beginning of birthday madness. My kids both have fall birthdays. Today I spent the morning baking cupcakes for my son's classroom. The theme he picked for this year's birthday is "race cars." I know exactly what cake I'm making for the party (stay tuned, the party is still a couple weeks away) but was drawing a blank on how to incorporated cupcakes into the theme...because lets face it ladies, cupcakes are much easier to bake, decorate and transport to school. My VERY creative friend helped me come up with the below idea. I'm giving her a HUGE shout out ---AIMEE--because not only were these her idea but she lives in China (and still could help) and is not a mom! But, I am granting her honorary mom status, if not just for this post! Thanks Aimee...YOU ROCK! I hope my execution is at least partly in-line with your vision!

It's almost that time of year...

2010-09-16T08:55:00.002-04:00

...when the kids are hopped up on candy and are strolling the neighborhoods for more candy...HALLOWEEN! It's now time to plan your Halloween party. We will help you plan carefully so you don't turn into a monster.

Here are some things to consider in the planning stages...

PARTY THEMES
Consider the ages of the kids--one child's thrilling haunted house is another's chilling nightmare. If you will be hosting a mix of ages, be sure to set up the scariest events out of sight of the main party. A mad scientist's lab, for example, can be set up in a spare room so that younger kids can pass on the pleasure of watching others touch "brains" (cold spaghetti).

ACTIVITIES
Plan more events than you think you need (and plan for bad weather, too). In addition to major games such as Zombie Tag and Slime Pit, prepare easy backups: bobbing for apples, painting glow-in-the-dark murals, or marching in a costume parade.

MENU
If your party is in lieu of trick-or-treating, you can be more liberal with the sweets, but you still want to get something in your guests' stomachs besides candy. pizza mummies, sandwiches and tomato soup--all easy and irresistible--are standouts.

DECORATIONS
Don't go overboard--mood lighting, creepy music and a few well-placed, homemade decorations (clothespin bats, spiders and webs) will amply set the scene. Pass on anything with a flame, and keep in mind that kids are clumsy in their costumes--anything fragile or sharp should be well out of the way.

A hunting we will go!

2010-07-30T12:17:00.007-04:00

It is time to start packing if you are planning to attend this year’s World’s Longest Yard Sale. It now extends from Hudson, Michigan to Gadsden, Alabama. It is August 5th - 8th. This is a party decorator’s Mecca. See One man’s junk is a party decorator’s treasure for additional information.

This trip is along back country roads. This means no public rest stops or fast food places. There are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Bathrooms: Unless you adapt well to port-a-potties, keep the drinking to a minimum (Especially caffeinated beverages—sorry Shelley I promise you will survive without your Coke Zero). Fire stations and churches are great places to find clean bathrooms. Make sure to seek out a bathroom before leaving each small town. You never know how far it is to the next one.

Tell me, again, why I’m doing this with a potty training 2 year old? Oh well, at least he’s a boy and peeing on a tree is still an option. With my luck he will come home and pee on my furniture like the dog.

I am having a flash back to the year my then nine year old got out of the car to pee on a tree in front of people, leaving the car door open. The three year old got out after him and started playing with the merchandise. I was blissfully unaware until a particularly uppity woman tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Excuse me. Are those your children?” For a brief second I considered saying, “No” and walking away. Instead I said “Pull your pants up and get back in that car!”—a phrase I never thought I would have to say.

2. Life in the Slow Lane: Traffic moves VERY slowly, 10 mph through small towns. You won’t be able to get anywhere in a hurry. Slow down and enjoy the scenery. It is also a great time to meet some interesting people.

3. Food: There are very few fast food places. The local diners will have a long wait to get seated. Pack a cooler of sandwiches and munchies. When you happen upon a great food vender selling funnel cakes or frozen bananas, enjoy the treat. You will walk/sweat off any extra calories. Make sure to hydrate extra well when you stop for the evening, even if you are not thirsty.

4. Cell phones: Cell reception is very spotty. Keep that in mind. If you need to check in at home, make your calls before leaving the town center.

5. GPS: Satellite reception is also spotty. Do not rely on your GPS as your only navigator. Bring a map. You may download one here.

6. More Tips: Make sure to check out our Savvy Tips page for much more advice, including a packing checklist.

I am so excited. I LOVE this trip and look forward to it all year, cuz that’s how I roll. Happy hunting!

Back to School Parties

2010-07-28T03:59:00.003-04:00

BTo all of our readers, HELLO! I am so sorry for the lack of posts, but I want to share with you why. We all are swamped with summer camps, vacations, and now getting ready for school to start. I have to share with you why there was such a huge hiatus...

My family just spent 10 days in the fabulous Egypt! We had such a great time! The history in Egypt is amazing. To think that these structures were built over 4,000 years ago is so hard to wrap your head around. While DH and I listened intently to the guide, ours boys drew in the sand and asked every 5 minutes "when do we get to ride the camels?" I'm hoping one day soon that it will sink in where they were and what they actually got to witness, but don't worry...I'm not holding my breath LOL. I'm sure it will always be the trip where they rode camels and saw real mummies!

Well, now that we are back to the normal grind of swimming pools, play dates, back-to-school shopping (Jo, did you get your penny paper?) and getting ready for school to start, I'm here to see how you are doing!

The end of July/beginning of August (depending on when your school starts) is a mixed blessing for most school children. The carefree days of summer are coming to end, but the thought of a new school year is exciting.

Make the end of summer vacation more fun for your child with a back-to-school celebration.

Why have a back-to-school party?

There are many reasons! If your summer is anything like ours, our summer vacations overlap with our friends. For example, during our 10 day trip to Egypt, our best friends left for their vacation. Now we are back, and they are gone for another week. Having a back-to-school party allows for all of us to get together and exchange vacation stories (i.e. "Joey was spit on by a camel. How was your time on the beach?"). It also helps the kids get in the mind set of school, while reconnecting with friends they may not have seen much over the summer. In our case, we are switching schools this year. This was a pure academic decision, so some of my boys' friends are still at the old school. This way, they can also connect with friends that they won't see on the first day of school!

Today we will talk about invitation ideas:

Here are some creative ideas:

Report card style:
Make a invitation that resembles an old report card. Use any previous school report cards as a reference or create your own design. Fill in school subject with party information, replacing the adjacent grades if necessary. These party invitation ideas should look like a report card with slight modifications when finished.
Mini chalkboard. Get mini chalkboards and chalk as invitations. On the edge of the board, write “Back To School Party” with a permanent marker. Type up party details on a piece of paper and insert it in with the chalkboard. With chalk, write “You’re Invited!” in the center of the board.
Homework assignment style (your first assignment of the school year is to come to this party and have a great time)
large red apple, yellow school bus, or #2 pencil cutouts
buy inexpensive notebooks or note pads and write invitation on cover or front page
tape or tie a fun pencil to invitation

Stay tuned for more ideas! Enjoy the rest of your summer and keep us updated on any great back-to-school sales you come across!

Summer time, and the livin' is easy

2010-07-10T04:46:00.011-04:00

Quick side note...we have a family blog, and for the first year I blogged, all my titles were either song names, or lyrics. I guess I'm in the mind set...

I can't believe that next week will be the 2nd full week of July. Where is the summer going? Oh wait, now I remember: family visitors, summer camp, and next week family vacation. This is Jo's and my first summer blogging, and heard about the "summer effect" and WOW time does get away from us, doesn't it?

So, now that 4th of July is over, what else do you have planned? My family (Shelley) lives overseas, and we just had one of my very best friends and her husband visit sans kids. It was SO much fun. I was very thankful my kids were in day camp, and that our babysitter wasn't on holiday yet. This is one reason I have been slightly absent from the blog. Thank goodness I have Jo as a sister to pick up my slack (I'm guessing this sentence will come and bite me back one day...don't worry Jo, it's probably the lack of sleeping that is impairing my judgment LOL).

During the past 10 days we did A LOT of BBQing. I know that we may be beating a dead horse, but it is the summer, and in between all our vacations and outings, I believe you are also BBQing. I'm going to share with you some of our favorites that we stuffed ourselves with over the past 10 days (and yes, Mags, my diet suffered considerably. How much did you gain?). Don't forget to go back and visit where we talked about my FAVORITE rib recipe and of course, what BBQ is complete without margaritas?

Besides the aforementioned, we had burgers, steaks, shredded pork sandwiches, and tried some new beverage recipes.

The great thing about having this new blog and great friends, is that I get to try new recipes and have people who are completely honest to let me know if we should share it with you all! We tried the below burgers and they were FAN.TAS.TIC!

Burgers

Raspberry-Chipotle BBQ Burgers

Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes (canned)
1 T chipotle sauce (See link to your left)
2 T white vinegar
2 lbs ground meat (beef, pork or turkey)
1/4 cup minced garlic (save your arm, and buy the jarred stuff)
1 t chipotle pepper or 1 T chipotle sauce
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
2 t kosher salt
2 red onions, sliced
buns...

Directions:
1. For sauce, in a saucepan, combine raspberry jam, barbecue sauce, crushed tomaotes, chipotle sauce and white vinegar. Cook over medium to low heat until reduced by half. In a large bowl, combine your meat of choice with garlic chipotle pepper, cumin, coriander and salt. Shape into patties.

2. Grill burgers to desired doneness (I like medium...Jo likes burnt). Turn only once (flipping your burgers more than that causes tough patties). Serve burgers on buns with sauce and onions.

Steaks

Another confession, I only grill rib-eye steak and I always marinade! Try this marinade next time you grill, and I promise you won't be disappointed...

Marinade:
In a zip lock bag, combine 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup red wine, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 t coarse-ground pepper, 1/2 t of salt, 1/2 t of Dijon mustard and a dash of lemon pepper. Depending on how many steaks you grill you may need to double or more. Seal the bag, and shake to combine. Add your steaks and refrigerate at least an hour. I always place our steaks in the fridge in the morning, for dinner time.

Savvy Tip: If you have leftovers, slice the steak, and heat up on the stove with bell peppers and onions (use the frozen bags) and have fajitas the next day for lunch or dinner (or breakfast LOL)!

Shredded Pork

Ingredients:

7 pound pork shoulder roast trimmed of any excess skin and fat (I use a pork tenderloin so I don't have to trim it)

3 T chili powder

1 1/2 t salt

1 t freshly ground pepper

1 large onion, sliced

4 minced garlic cloves

3 cups (separated) of your favorite BBQ sauce

Water

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Rub mixture all over pork roast until thoroughly coated. Place sliced onion and minced garlic cloves in bottom of a slow cooker, then add roast and 1 cup barbecue sauce. Pour water over roast until covered, about 4 cups.

2. Cover slow cooker and cook pork on high until very tender and meat falls off bone, about 6 hours. Carefully remove pork from slow cooker and reserve on a platter. Strain cooking liquid into sink, reserve onion; return pork and onion to slow cooker; shred meat with a fork and add 2 more cups of barbeque sauce. Cook on high until heated, about 8 minutes.

Savvy Tips: Use disposable crock pot liner. Use pork tenderloin. Liberally sprinkle all sides of meat with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Use jarred garlic. I like sweet barbecue sauce, so when I don't make my own, I try and find one with brown sugar in it.

DRINKS!

Before you all think all I drink is margaritas (sometimes I drink strawberry margaritas), I'm going to share this super refreshing raspberry tea recipe!

Ingredients:
5 cups water
6 raspberry tea bags
1 6oz can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
Ice cubes
Limes slice (optional)
fresh raspberries (optional)

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add tea bags. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags. Cool tea. Transfer to a pitcher. Cover and chill for a couple hours.

2. Stir limeade concentrate into teas. Fill glasses with ice, and garnish with fresh fruit.

Savvy Tip: Up until last month, I RELIGIOUSLY used my Mr. Coffee Iced-Tea maker. This is a MUST if you miss the great sweet tea of the south (which my DH and I do). Putting it away one day, I drop and cracked the plastic pitcher. So, if you don't have the maker, follow the above directions. If you are fortunate to own the iced-tea maker, or are now inspired to purchase one (see the link to the left), just add the raspberry tea bags to the maker, and it brews your tea in minutes. (Jo, my b-day is coming up, want to get me a replacement pitcher? LOL...or maybe Mikey can!)

Stay tuned, as we are going to post about my favorite party of the year, my family's Christmas in July party, back-to-school and more!

Sunday Mom

2010-07-08T10:42:00.002-04:00

I am excited to announce that SundayMom.com has launched the Fall Children’s Worship Program. We like to bring all the fun, excitement, and attention to detail from our parties to church each week. You can also find free, printable Bible puzzles, Bible stories, and other ideas for teaching children about the love of God. Now that you have come down from your 4th of July junk food high and you have a little time between packing the kids for camp and swimming lessons, take a minute to check it out. Be careful not to squeal with excitement—you’ll wake the baby and that will mean the end of “me time”.

4th of July decorations...

2010-06-26T06:00:00.004-04:00

Make sure you check out you local Targets and Walmarts. They usually have the $1 bins near the front and right now they are full of patriotic items...go out and buy some for today's World Cup Match against Ghana, and then you can reuse them for you 4th of July BBQs! Let us know what you find!

Savvy Ideas to decorate with what you have (or easily get):

You know you all have them...unused vases. Fill them with all the super yummy summer fruits, that also, conveniently, are patriotic colors: blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Guests can scoop the berries out and add whipped cream or Cool Whip (for those who are allergic to dairy) for a truly red, white, and blue treat!
Use different-shaped vases to hold dips and chips as well. These make great centerpieces as well as unique serving dishes.
Mix and match red, white, and blue solid paper products and plastic ware.
Roll butcher paper out onto your party table. Scatter red, white, and blue crayons across the table for the kids to color with while eating.
Sprinkle red, white, and blue confetti and candies around the table.

All American Barbeque Menu

2010-06-19T12:33:00.004-04:00

This is the menu for my 4th of July BBQ. It is a lot of food. The key to a good BBQ is good food and I aim to please. It is enough to keep people fed from lunch time through midnight. It even accommodates our vegetarian friends.

I would like to say that there is some magic formula for deciding on a menu. The truth is that Shelley and I LOVE to eat. And now three cheers for denial: hip, hip, hooray. Thanks to all the clothing manufacturer’s new size charts an 8 is now a 6 and a 10 is now an 8. So even though my waist is bigger, the label still says 8 and that is all that matters. (Seriously, I am trying to decide whether to use my real size or my internet profile size in the preceding sentence and I might just break out in hives before I post this.) Anyway, I selfishly plan every menu around what I want to eat. Then, I add my friend’s favorites—the corn and herb butter is for Bubba, my son requested the cookies and the Mac and Cheese is for my Darling Husband who insists on eating it for every occasion, even Christmas Dinner.

To minimize the hassle of shopping and to spread out the expense, I prepare my menu early and break up the shopping trips. OK, the truth is that I have a 2 year old and trips to the grocery store are no longer my friend. I have to get in and get out fast. This week I purchased things from the local warehouse club—plates, napkins, citronella candles, soda, bottled water, etc. Next week I will hit the grocery store to purchase the non-perishables. The week of the 4th I will get the rest.

I make extra sure to maintain proper holding temperatures throughout the day. Do not make food and leave it out at room temperature all day. Hot foods should be held above 140 degrees and cold food should be held below 41 degrees.

Ribs

Hot Dogs

Hamburgers

Corn on the Cob with herb butter

Baked Beans

Macaroni and Cheese

Louisiana Garlic Bread

Potato Salad

Broccoli Salad

Fruit Salad

Chips and Salsa

Veggie Tray and Dip

Lemonade

Sweet Tea

Water

Pie Alamode

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happing eating!

Games to play during your BBQ

2010-06-19T08:17:00.023-04:00

Water Relay
This is especially fun on those hot summer days!

Items needed:
Bucket of water-1 per team
Large sponges-1per team
Empty 1 gallon plastic milk jug 1 per team

Split players into two or more teams.
Set the buckets of water on one side of the course with the sponges in the bucket.
Place the milk jug at the opposite end of the course.
The players then squeezes the water into the jug and then runs back to pass the sponge to the next player. This continues until the first jug is full.

The object is to be the first team to fill the milk jug with water using only the sponge. Players take turns soaking the sponge with water and then running to the milk jug.

Savvy Tip: Adding a little food coloring in the jug will help the racers see the water line.

Old Fashioned Sack Race
These are great fun. My sons actually had one of these during their field day this year, and was a huge hit with kids, parents and teachers.

Items needed:
Burlap sacks
Savvy Tip: If you have a feed supply store near by, burlap sacks can be purchased inexpensively.
If all else fails, old pillow cases will work.

Each player steps into his/her sack with both feet.
Pull the sack high enough to hold the edges.

Savvy Tip: Give your guests a heads up that there will be a sack race. Have the sacks out and ready and let them practice hopping.
Identify the start and finish lines.
Blow the whistle and go!

Three Legged Race

Items needed:
Old stockings

Savvy Tip: We use old stockings because they are soft and have some give to them. Pair up into partners and stand side by side.

Tie one persons left leg to the other players right, or vise versa. Practice walking together. Once you get the hang of walking try hopping or running.

Blow the whistle and go!

R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.

2010-06-15T10:37:00.002-04:00

Nothing sets the mood at a party better than music. Here are some songs that would be great to download to your mp3 player for the 4th of July. Burn them to a CD and add a custom label that says “Smith Family 4th of July Party 2010” and you have an instant party favor.

What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong
God Bless America, LeAnn Rimes
Born in the USA, Bruce Springsteen
I hope you Dance, Lee Ann Womack
God Bless the USA, Lee Greenwood
I’m Already There, Lonestar
Have You Forgotten, Darrel Worley
Rocky IV:Living in America, The Studio Sound Ensemble
ROCK in the USA, John Mellencamp
Rockin’ in the Free World, Bon Jovi
Surfin’ USA, Beach Boys
My Country ‘tis of Thee, Aretha Franklin
Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue, 4Troops
United We Stand, Elton John
Georgia on My Mind, Ray Charles
American Pie, Don McLean
We are the Champions, Queen
Where the Stars and Stripes and The Eagle Fly, Aaron Tippin
Citizen Soldier, 3 Doors Down
Proud to be an American, Lee Greenwood

Savvy Outdoor Entertaining tips!

2010-06-14T05:35:00.001-04:00

I thought I would just give some quick tips...

If you are short on serving bowls try hollowing out half a watermelon.

Don't attempt to serve food that has to be prepared at the last minute. It's less stressful and more convenient to have most everything prepared beforehand.

Choose foods that won't spoil fast, especially if you are blessed with a warm day. Foods with mayonnaise will spoil if not kept at a proper temperature. If you have a potato salad or macaroni salad with mayonnaise, keep it in an ice bowl bath.

As much as possible have food that guests can serve themselves. Also, keep in mind, people do a lot of standing during BBQs (ample seating or not). Try and limit the amount of foods that require a fork and knife. Make everything small and manageable.

Have plates stacked at the start of the buffet area and then cutlery and napkins at the end.

Use citronella candles to keep insects away and have some insect lotion or spray available for guests to use.

Provide garbage cans/bags. This will save yourself some cleanup work after your guests have gone home.

Free Bullseye BBQ Sauce at Safeway

2010-06-11T12:31:00.000-04:00

Stock up now for your 4th of July BBQ on this great deal. Safeway’s “Buy 8, Save $4 Promo” runs through June 15th. The following printable coupons make the sauce totally free! To get the $0.99 price on the BBQ sauce, you have to purchase at least 8 bottles of these Bullseye BBQ Sauces in the 17.5-18 oz sizes. This coupon for $1 off makes it free: Bullseye BBQ Sauce, Carolina, Texas, Memphis, Kansas City – (bricks.coupons.com)

How do you celebrate the 4th?

2010-06-08T11:41:00.002-04:00

I’m back from our summer vacation to Disney World. We had a great time and I want to go back. I returned to 200+ email messages, phone messages, bills, a mountain of laundry, swimming lessons, piano lessons, Cub Scout Day Camp, Vacation Bible School, the summer reading list and Accelerated Reader tests, and somewhere under the couch pillows is an unconscious teenage boy in his boxer shorts who only comes out to eat, usually at night, leaving me with empty cupboards in the morning, which means a trip to the grocery store. . . ahhhhhh. I’m ready for some fun.

Thankfully, it’s time to send out invitations for the 4th of July. I used Evite and sent mine out Sunday. Take a look at “A party is only as good as its guests” (4/11/10) for help making the guest list.

Before sending out the invites, you will need to decide on what kind of party to have. For July 4th I recommend a BBQ. The weather is great and summer has just started. The kids are still happy to be outdoors rolling in the grass, listening to the songs of the crickets, and catching fireflies. It will still be a few more weeks before the mosquitoes and sunburns chase them inside and you are listening to the latest hit songs: “I’m hot” and “What do we have to eat?” Make time to enjoy it now. This time of year life is at a slower pace and what could be better than food, friends, and fun. We make a whole day of it. We all meet downtown for the parade and then return to my house for a BBQ lunch. Then, we head off to watch the fireworks and return to our house for some of our own backyard fireworks (which are legal here). Some other ideas:

• Picnic in the park (where everyone brings their own food)*
• Pot Luck dinner inside where it’s cool. (unless you are a total germaphobe like me)* See post on pot luck tips
• A group trip to your local amusement park/laser show.*
• Make and enter a float in the local parade, followed by a trip for ice cream*
• Neighborhood Chili-Cook Off contest/ block party
• Pool Party
• Old fashioned 4th where families compete in potato sack relays and other games (make sure to include a pie baking contest)
• A homemade carnival with games and prizes
* These are great choices if you hate to cook.

If this is your first 4th of July party, don’t try to put together an entire day. It takes a lot of food and games to keep people busy for that long. Shoot for 2-3 hours. Early evening is a cooler time of day for an outside party and you can all end the evening by going to the fireworks.

When picking the time and day, don’t just assume that the 4th is celebrated on the 4th in your community. This year the 4th falls on a Sunday. In the south we spend this day at church. Our parades and fireworks shows will be on Saturday, so that is when I am having my party. On many military bases, the big fireworks shows are on Thursday so that soldiers may travel to see family over the four day weekend. If you live overseas your local American expat community is a great place to reach out to other Americans. If there isn’t already an event planned, plan your own-- everyone is looking for some piece of America on July 4th.

You don’t need to have everything worked out just yet, but you do need to know:

• Date
• Start Time
• End Time
• Location
• Attire: should they dress for inside, outside, pool, relay races, mud wrestling, etc.
• What to bring: just yourself, a pot luck dish, a picnic lunch, dessert, a board game to share, etc.
• RSVP information

Take it one step at a time. We will be here to walk you through it. Good Luck!

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back....The BEST rib recipe ever...

2010-05-31T12:26:00.006-04:00

I know that everyone says this, but I promise you, once you try this recipe, you will never go back...
I just had this for our Memorial Day BBQ with black beans and macaroni and cheese... YUM-O!

Ingredients:

RIBS:
2-6 lbs of BABY BACK ribs (you can use any cut, but I think the baby back are the only way to go)
water
salt and pepper

SAUCE (you can use your own recipe, or your favorite bottle, but I SWEAR once you try this tangy recipe, you will be hooked. I have been told on many of occasion, these are the best ribs they ever had):

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup maple syrup (get the real stuff, not pancake syrup)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2-3 teaspoons of adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers (freeze what you don't use)...I use the can shown on left.

Directions:

Season your ribs with salt and pepper. Place seasoned ribs in a shallow baking dish. Pour 1 - 2 inches of water in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 2 hours.

While your ribs bake, prepared your BBQ sauce by combining all the ingredients, and stirring well. I always double my sauce when I cook 4 or more pounds, but I like my ribs SAUCY!

Once your ribs are done baking, baste both sides with 1/3 of your sauce. Now it's time to move to the grill. Place the ribs on the grill, low heat, for 5 minutes (lid closed). Open the lid, apply 1/3 more of your sauce, close lid and cook 5 more minutes. Repeat once more, and now your ribs are done...

Savvy Tip: Give everyone an extra bowl (salad size) for the bones. This way the have plenty of room on their plates for side. We call it a Bone Bowl!

Do you have a favorite rib (or other BBQ) recipe? Share in the comments. Did you try our ribs? Let us know what you think!

Happy Memorial Day and remember:

Freedom isn't free. Thank you to all the men and women of our armed forces. Because of you, my family and I are free. As everyone celebrates and BBQs today, please remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so you can be who you are! Happy Memorial to all and thank you to all of you whose family members fight for my freedom everyday! A very special thank you to my DH who is an Air Force Veteran and to my BIL who continues to fight for our freedom everyday. We love you and thank you!

Lucky YOU...you're having a pot luck BBQ!

2010-05-28T13:08:00.016-04:00

Now what? Just follow these savvy rules:

First and seriously the most important...Plan your menu. You can decide on what you will do and delegate what you feel is missing or ask for specific dishes. I love, love, LOVE to cook, but am a seriously horrible baker (I know it's because of the need for precision). I always ask my invited guests if they have a specific dish in mind or if they would like a suggestion. BUT in some cases, I ask (and beg if I have to) people to bring something specific. I will always need deserts so, Maggie is asked to bring her "crack cookies" (seriously the BEST chocolate chip cookies you will ever taste...I might just call and see if I can post it here LOL) and Vanessa is asked to bring either the peanut butter brownies, or coconut cream pie. This always is helpful to make sure you don't have all salads, and not enough desserts. One way is to split the menu into sections so you can ensure you have enough (If a guest can't decide what they will bring, ask them to at least provide you with a category for planning purposes.):

-main dishes (optional...for our BBQs, we provide the different meats for grilling)
-salads
-desserts
-beverages
Give your guests who claim to be unable to cook the opportunity to contribute drinks or equipment to the party so that they are still pitching in but don't feel that they have to cook. Tell them it's perfectly fine to bring store-bought food as well. While homemade is nice, it's better to make your guests feel welcomed despite their lack of culinary talent.
Savvy Tip: Make labels with your guests' names on them. This way, as they place their dish on the table you can label the bottom of each dish (if not already done). This way if a dish is left behind after the party, you know who to return it to.
Ask guests to label food with allergenic ingredients in the case of dishes with nuts, dairy, eggs, gluten, etc. If you have any guests who are highly allergic to nuts or other food such as shellfish or eggs, ask all your guests to label their dish with the ingredients. We have kids with allergies, but my DH and I don't. We want to be able to enjoy Jo's macaroni and cheese, even if the kids can't have it. You can also use small place cards in front of each dish to identify the name of the dish and who made it so people can ask that person for a recipe or can pay their compliments.
This may sound like common sense but worth stating; keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold to minimize the risk of spoilage or food poisoning. Many potluck organizers will equip their party table with many large bowls of ice to place salads containing mayonnaise. A power outlet outdoors for the plugging in of buffet servers or crock pot slow cookers is a good idea as well to keep food safe and flavorful.
Put different types of dishes on different tables (or on different sides of the table) with plenty of serving spoons. If at all possible, make sure the drinks are on a different table (or at least at the end of the table). This way if people want to merely top up their drink, they don't have to wait in line with those serving themselves. Another Savvy Tip: avoid the temptation to have the table up against a wall/side of the house. Pull the table out enough to have people on both sides. This limits the size of the line. This is where plenty of serving spoons is essential. If you only have one spoon per dish, it won't matter that you have a line on both sides of the table; people will still have to wait for the spoon. Recap: Have a line on each side of the table and make sure each dish has 2 serving spoons.

Another Allergy Tip: If you do have dishes with allergens in them, you may want to keep these separate from the other dishes. Nothing irks me more than the cross contamination of serving spoons. My kids can't have the Macaroni and Cheese, and that's fine. BUT if you use the Mac-n-Cheese spoon to then serve the potato salad, they now can't have the potato salad either.
Clear clutter several times throughout the party to minimize the mess. Ask a friend or co-host to help you periodically with refilling needed items and clearing trash. Savvy Tip: Place one or two (or more) garbage cans in the food area, many guests will help clean up during the party as well.

The unofficial start to summer is upon us...

2010-05-27T04:22:00.004-04:00

With Memorial Day weekend just a few days away, I'm using this as a way to start a discussion regarding BBQing...I'm going to start out with some tips:

Before you hold your next barbecue party, take a look at our savvy tips to make sure you're the perfect barbecue host:

Burning citronella candles is a great way to keep the bugs at bay and stop them biting your guests – especially if you’re serving any sweet food or drinks. You can buy garden torches which can be filled with citronella oil to repel insects - and these torches look great and give your garden a cosy glow.

Make sure you know how many guests are coming to your barbecue and ensure there’s a comfortable seat for everyone.

When you plan your seating make sure you are seated near to the kitchen. This means you won’t be barging past your guests when going to and from the house.

If you’re having an afternoon barbecue, make sure there’s plenty of shade.

Keep jugs of iced water handy – particularly if you’re barbecuing on a hot day. If you stick with the beer or wine your guests will soon be dehydrated (and you may be too tipsy to tend the barbecue). So pour some water - it’s the healthy choice!

Many agree that there’s nothing worse than a warm beer. If you don’t want to keep trekking to the fridge you can fill a couple of buckets with iced water to put drinks in – great if the fridge is full and you don’t own a cool box!

Avoid an embarrassing barbecue faux pas by checking with your guests if they have any special dietary requirements. Imagine having nothing but lettuce for a vegetarian to munch on when there are so many delicious alternatives that everyone can enjoy.

A friend of mine just sent me the following email...ladies, just keep this in mind :):

To refresh your memory on the BBQ etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
Routine...

The woman buys the food.
The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.
The woman remains outside the compulsory three metre exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.
Here comes the important part:
THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine...
The woman goes inside to organise the plates and cutlery.
The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he flips the meat.
Important again:
THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine...
The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all:
Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts. The man asks the woman how she enjoyed ' her night off .'

Food for your class party

2010-05-20T11:24:00.001-04:00

When planning snacks for a class party, the first thing I like to know is whether there are any allergies in the classroom. Both Jo and I are families that have children ridden with severe allergies, so we do take this issue very seriously. Plus, you would hate to have a parent send in peanut butter and celery if there's a child with a nut allergy!

Here are the other things you'll want to think about as you plan the food:

It's always good to have some kind of healthy snack such as a tray of cut fruit. But don't go overboard on the healthy snacks unless that's the only thing you're serving. Given a choice between cookies and veggies, which do you think kids will pick?
Baby carrots, and sometimes sliced cucumbers are popular snacks for young kids, especially when served with ranch dip and/or hummus. If you bring both dips, than the dairy allergy kids have a choice as well.
Try to plan snacks that carry out the theme (if you have a theme). For example, creepy spider cupcakes for Halloween; Valentine's cookies for Valentine's Day; marshmallow chicks and bunnies for a springtime party, etc.
Food is usually the easiest donation to get from parents. Every class seems to have one mom who enjoys making seasonal cupcakes or cookies. Try the mortar board cupcake recipe below.
Salty snacks are also popular party food. Potato chips usually win out over pretzels in my children's parties.
Don't serve too many choices. Otherwise, children will load up their plates, and then you'll see a ton of food dumped into the trash can at the end of the party.

Class Room Party Ideas

2010-05-17T14:03:00.003-04:00

Classroom Party Games for Children Ages 4 - 6:

London Bridge – Pick two children to join hands at head-level, creating a “bridge” between them. Have the rest of the children walk in a circle that leads them under the “bridge” while everyone sings, “London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady. Take a key and lock her up, lock her up, lock her up, take a key and lock her up, my fair lady.” When they get to the “lock her up” part, the two children forming the “bridge” should bring their arms down and around whoever is passing under at that moment. Each person they capture sits out until there are just two people left; these last two people become the bridge for the next round.
Favor Pass – Wrap an assortment of small school party favors (one for each child). Have the kids sit in a circle and pass the favors around while music plays. Every time the music is stopped and restarted, the rotation changes from clockwise to counterclockwise, or vice versa. After a few rounds, let each child open and keep the favor he or she is holding.
Classroom Memory – Play a memory game where you put school-related items (e.g. pencil, calculator, ruler, eraser, chalk, etc.) on a desktop. Let the children look for 30 seconds, then take everything off the desk. See how many of the items they can remember, making a list on the blackboard as they call items out.
Classroom Obstacle Course – Build an obstacle course using objects in the classroom as the obstacles. For instance, children can crawl under desks and chairs, step on a paper “stepping stone” path, jump over a tape-drawn line, crawl under a piece of string tied between two chairs or desks, or stop to draw a smiley face on the chalkboard. Use your imagination; the possibilities are endless!
Musical Chairs – Play the traditional version where there’s one fewer chair than there are children during each round, or play the kiddy version. In this version, which works best for very young children, there is one chair for every child playing, but one of the chairs is decorated with colorful construction paper, streamers and/or balloons. Whichever child lands in this chair when the music stops will be the winner for that round. You can make sure that everyone wins a round by stopping the music when a child who hasn’t won yet is near the chair.
Hot Potato – Just like musical chairs, this can be played competitively, where the last one in the game wins, or it can be played non-competitively, where the child holding the “potato” at the end of each round wins that round. You can play this game with music or with a blind-folded caller who yells “hold it!” randomly to end each round. And, of course, almost any object can be used as the “potato.”
Teacher Says – Have your child’s teacher join in the fun for a few rounds of this “follow the leader” game. The children should do what their teacher says as long as she says the words, “Teacher says” first. If she gives a command like “Sit in your chairs” or “Clap your hands” without saying, “Teacher says” first, anyone who follows her orders is out of the game.

School Party Games for Children Ages 7 - 10:

First to Laugh – Pick one child to tell jokes in front of the class. You can provide a list or let the child tell his or her own favorites. The first child to giggle is picked to be the next entertainer.
School House Jeopardy – Come up with clues relating to school or subjects the kids have been studying, and write them on index cards. For instance, you could have a “School Supplies” category, a “Games You Play in Gym Class” category, and a “Vocabulary Words” category. Write values on the back of the index cards (i.e. $100, $200, and so on). Tape the index cards to the chalk board in columns with the values face up and the category names written above each column. Divide the kids into groups of 5 or 6, and assign team leaders. Let the birthday child’s group pick a category and value first. If they answer the clue correctly, they get a point and can pick a clue for the next group to try to answer. If they don’t know the answer, they can pass to the next group. You can either give a small prize to each of the members of the group with the most points at the end of the game or let the winning group select the next activity.
Guess What – Write the names of objects from the classroom on blank labels or strips of white duct tape (1 for each child in the class). Stick one on each child’s back so no one can see the object they’ve been assigned. Have each child ask other students questions with yes or no answers to figure out the object written on his or her label. If desired, give the children small prizes when they guess their assigned objects.
Telephone – Have the children sit in a circle on the floor. Whisper a silly phrase, like “You can bet that teacher’s pet must go to the vet,” into the ear of one of the children. That child then whispers the phrase into the ear of the child next to him or her, and so on. When the last person in the circle has heard the phrase, have him or her say it out loud, and then tell the children what the original phrase was. Everyone will get a laugh at how much the phrase changed from beginning to end. Play multiple rounds and let the children take turns making up their own silly phrases to pass around.
Classroom Scavenger Hunt – Divide the class into two or three teams. Give each team a list of objects found around the classroom. Try to only assign objects that there are multiples of, like pencils, rulers, and certain books. The first team to gather all of the items on their list wins.

More Classroom Party Activities

Look for silly jokes on the Internet, print them on strips of paper, and let the kids take turns drawing jokes and reading them in front of the class.
Give the kids brainteasers & riddles to try on each other.
Have a sing-along to some of the children’s favorite songs.
Have the children make modern art out of odds and ends like buttons, scraps of cloth, chunks of Styrofoam, and cardboard boxes. Or, give every child a paper plate along with odds and ends, glue, and markers, and have them design their ultimate birthday cake.

Cupcakes for your end of the year party

2010-05-14T03:14:00.002-04:00

Mortar board cupcakes...

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix (Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box)
1 box Fruit by the Foot chewy fruit snack rolls (any flavor) or shoestring licorice
1 container vanilla frosting
Food coloring
60 square shortbread cookies
60 candy-coated chocolate or fruit-flavored candies

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place miniature paper baking cups in 24 mini muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box. Fill cups 2/3 full of batter. Refrigerate remaining batter.
Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool. Repeat with remaining batter. (Leave paper baking cups on cupcakes so mortarboards are quicker and easier to make and more portable to serve.)
To make tassels: Cut sixty 2 1/2-inch lengths from fruit snack rolls. Cut each into several strips up to 1/2 inch from 1 end. Roll uncut end between fingertips to make tassels. Or cut several pieces of shoestring licorice into 2 1/2-inch lengths.
Tint frosting with food color to match paper baking cups. Frost bottoms of cookies. Place 1 candy on center of each. For each mortarboard, place small dollop of frosting on bottom of cupcake; top with cookie. Press uncut end of fruit snack or 3 or 4 pieces of licorice into frosted cookie next to candy. Store loosely covered.

Savvy Tip: Buy paper baking cups in your school colors, and dye the frosting with food coloring to match!

Backpack sacavenger game...

2010-05-13T06:06:00.001-04:00

For some mischievous school themed fun, have the kids bring their backpacks to the party. Sit in a circle and have the kids dump out their backpacks in front of them.

Give fruit rollup prizes for the child who has:

the oldest paper (don’t be surprised if there is at least one from September)
the smallest pencil nub
homework with the best grade on it
homework that was ~~not turned in~~ forgotten about
the most stuff
the least stuff
the heaviest backpack
and other items...(Anybody have an old PB&J sandwich in there?)

Room moms out there...what are you planning?

2010-05-13T04:58:00.004-04:00

Second in popularity only to Christmas Day, the last day of school is a highly anticipated day for children. Freedom from teachers, homework, and that annoying kid who sits next to them in class. So, what are your plans?

There are many decisions to keep in mind. Have you spoken with the other parents? What are they willing to do, contribute, or help with? With the advent of summer right on our heals, you can probably count on good weather for the day of your party (unless, of course you are living in Colorado, and you are still getting snow, right Maggie?). Even where I live, it seems to always be raining, but I am crossing all my fingers and toes, hoping we can count on good weather for our end of the year party; but we still have 7 weeks left of school, where Jo's kids only have 3 weeks left.

If you want to celebrate outside, here are some ideas:

Plan on having the kids do some outside games like egg toss or the egg and spoon race.
Relay races, such as a three-legged-race are easy to organize.
I'm not sure if this is "kosher" any more, but I remember as a kid, during our end of the year party, the school would turn on the sprinklers, and all the kids got to run around in their swimsuits...will the safety weenies (as our late father would say) say "no" to this? It's always worth a question to the right person.

Hopefully all the kids will remember to wear sunscreen that day. Just in case they don't, have some extra on hand. Also, don't forget a few blankets for the kids to sit on under the trees (I always keep our picnic blankets in the back of our car during this time of year).

What if it rains? Make sure you have a back up plan. Is the classroom sufficient space, or do you have to reserve the cafeteria? If you are going to be stuck inside, have a stash of board games on hand. Maybe you can plan a tournament. Most families have the same selection of games (Monopoly, Connect Four, Sorry!, etc.) Ask the other moms to bring their Sorry! game. You can set up different tables and the winners move up, and the others (not loosers ;) ) move down. Any Bunco players out there? My son's class LOVES playing Bunco...try it, you'll see (just keep in mind the next time you host Bunco at your house, your child won't want to go to bed, he will want to stay up and play LOL).

THEMES: Are you having a theme party? Did you throw a Cinco de Mayo party (I know, you all thought we were done with this, right?)? How about reusing all those great decorations and recipes and throw a fiesta themed class party (minus the margarita, of course...but you COULD throw "come-to-my-house-and-help-me-plan-the-class-party-margarita-drinking-planning-party...any excuse, right?)

Now, I have to go bake cookies for tomorrow's International Day at the boys' school....

Party lameness...what to do?

2010-05-05T13:45:00.002-04:00

Party lameness...
It's something we all fear, whether we're hosting or attending. Sometimes it can't be helped. Someone leaves the cake out in the rain; dancing on the ceiling goes horribly awry. You just go with it as best you can. But when the party is tanking because some guests are being antisocial or rude, we find it especially annoying.
The good thing is, it's usually fixable. Here are our best tricks for navigating choppy party waters.

The situation: AWWWkward or dull conversation.
The solution: Get out of it with a short-and-sweet "Excuse me. Nice talking to you." Making up an excuse could get you caught in a lie, and it leaves you open to a repeat bore-formance by the same person later. If you see them again, just smile and keep moving.

The situation: Making introductions.
The solution: If you know you're going to be introducing people, some pre-party prepwork will keep you from watching conversations spiral downhill. Before the party, come up with a few interesting facts about each person, as well as some topics they have in common with other guests. And be sure to know the names of spouses or dates so you're not left with the "Mike aaaaaand [awkward silence]" moment.

The situation: Rude questions or comments.
The solution: Give a funny response or a quick "No comment" and let it slide. Rudey McCreep was either clueless or trying to provoke you, and either way, an argument just isn't worth your time. And it's really not worth wrecking the party for the people around you. This one goes out to you, lady at a party who said to me, "Wow, your sweater is so ... green."

Is it the end of the year already?

2010-05-04T13:52:00.006-04:00

It is officially the end of the school year. I know this because my children have started to count down by days (not weeks) and they are TOTALLY slacking-off on their homework. “You haven’t crossed the finish line yet. I need you to hold it together for three more weeks—that is only 3 more spelling tests. I need to see your A-game. Can you do that for mommy?” I think that we all know the answer is a big fat NO, but I wouldn’t be giving it my A-game if I didn’t try. One of my lesser favorite end-of-the-year activities (second only to field day) is the end-of-the-year classroom party. I have a few years experience in this area—O.K. more than a few. I have learned some things along the way and I am sure that Shelley will have something to say, too.

A special thank you to the Room Mom:
Thank you so much for taking the time to help your child’s teacher in such a special way. You are filling a truly valuable position and there are 25 other parents who are grateful that you said yes before their name came up on the phone tree.

Class only party vs. class and parent party:
This is a delicate subject and unfortunately I am very biased for one side. I respect everyone’s right to choose for themselves (does that sound politically correct enough?), but I am afraid I have made up my mind and I'm sticking to it. I guess since this is my blog, I'm allowed to speak. Maybe Shelley will disagree with me and we can have a fight to up our ratings. Do blogs have ratings?

I do not like parties where the parents attend:
• There is always a small minority of children who’s parents don’t come and it breaks their hearts. The purpose of the party is to let the children celebrate. These children will not feel celebratory.
• There are a crazy amount of end-of-the-year events to attend—recitals, award ceremonies, field day, etc. Working parents are challenged to fit every event into their schedule. And let’s face it, this little party is not nearly as important as the other events.
• Parents just end up watching their child eat or stand at the back of the room socializing with the other parents. It is not a good interactive event.

The teacher, room mom, and 1-2 helpers is enough. In an average class there are really only 3 parents who want to be there anyway. This way they get to feel extra special because they also helped.

Paying for the party:
We all know that these things cost money. The teacher should NEVER pay for the party. I have never thrown a party that cost more than $50 and it’s just easier to pay for it myself. It’s O.K. to ask for help, especially if you’re planning something a little extra. Sending out an email or flyer to the parents asking for a small donation is fine. I would avoid determining a fixed per-person amount. Some families are on a limited budget. They may have trouble coming up with $5. It’s not polite to force parents to pay for the party. Besides, I find that I make more money by not suggesting a dollar amount. People send what they can afford. There is often a working mom with unlimited resources who will gladly cough-up $100. If I end up with nothing, we find a way to party for FREE.

It’s also O.K. to ask the community for donations. I have a great relationship with our local grocery store. Every day their bakery throws-out or donates day-old baked goods. I pre-arrange to receive those items on the day of our party. There is often a cake and cookies. Local business will also contribute items for goodie bags. Realtors, insurance companies, dentist, banks, etc. have promotional pencils, key chains, stickers, mints, etc. Find out what the parents in your class do. If one of them owns a restaurant or party supply store, you have just hit a home-run.

Pre-planning:

• Contact the teacher and decide on a time and date for the party.
• Take extra precautions to make sure the teacher does not get caught in the middle. Don’t ask them to relay messages for you or collect money.
• Contact all the parents (not just your favorite helpers) and let them know the date well in advance of the party.
• Ask for volunteers to help. Make sure to be specific. You will get a better response if you ask for 1 person to just show up and be an extra pair of hands, 1 person to stuff goodie bags, 1 person to bring a cake, etc. If people don’t know what you are asking them to do, they are afraid to volunteer.
• It’s O.K. to do it all yourself. This is just a classroom party, not the annual charity ball. I find it’s easier to just do everything than coordinate volunteers.
• Don’t be a martyr. Don’t tell everyone that you did all the work and no one helped. If they offer you "thanks" or say "it must have taken a lot of work to put everything together" respond with, “It did and I enjoyed every minute."—even if it’s not true.
• Send out a reminder the week of the party.
• Come up with a plan and keep it simple.
• Get everything together and prepared ahead of time.

The plan:

• Start with a theme. It is always fun to do a luau, fiesta, etc. You can decorate and plan a fun menu and music. I like Class of 2018 (or whatever your class is). They feel so grown up once they know what class they are.
• If you are having the party in the classroom, plan to keep the kids seated at their desks. This is a very small space and once they get up it is more difficult to manage.
• Play music to set the mood. Make sure to pre-screen it.
• Let them help prepare the food. I like cookie decorating, ice cream sundae making, etc. It takes up some of the time and they have fun.
• Have an activity. It can be a craft project or a game. I like to have a mystery game. Someone stole the hall pass and we have to use the clues to figure out who did it. They really like it when it turns out to be the teacher—they never expect that outcome. My favorite craft is a class photo. I come to class the week before and take a group shot. I have them printed. I get acrylic frames at the dollar store. They decorate the frames and all sign the back of each other’s photos.
• Make sure to schedule time for cleanup.

Good Luck!

Hit it, hit it, hit it. Don’t lose your aim.

2010-05-03T13:35:00.003-04:00

Cinco de Mayo is coming soon...and you should be getting to the end of planning. We have one more craft idea. Are you going to have a piñata? You can always go to your local party shop and pick one up, or you can put your children to some good use, and have them make one. Here's how:

Things You'll Need:

balloons
newspaper (lots of it)
water & flour (to make the glue) or starch
scissors
paint
crepe paper
string (to hang the piñata)
candy or small toys (for filling)
bat or wooden stick (to hit with)

Directions:

Protect your work area. Lay down newspapers.
Make your paste: In a cooking pot, mix 1 part flour (or starch) to 2 parts water. Whisk the ingredients together and heat on the stove at medium heat for approximately 3-6 minutes. The paste should just begin to thicken. If you cook it too long the paste will be too thick and may not work. Remove contents from the pot and store in a container.
Decide on what you are going to make your piñata into. Ideas include making an animal, a character, a shape etc.
Inflate your balloon to your desired size. This will form the body of your piñata, so inflate it to the size you would like your piñata to be. A round balloon is best. If you want to go beyond the basic “round shape” you can add additional shapes: legs, tails, snouts, hats, etc. made with cardboard, newspaper or construction paper. Make sure to tape the shapes on with masking tape or clear tape before you papier-mâché.
Time to papier-mâché your balloon: Tear some newspaper into strips approximately 1 inch wide. Coat your pieces well in the paste. Savvy Tip: As you pulled out the strip, squeegee the paper in between your index and middle finger, so the strip isn’t too wet. Place the wet strips over the balloon until it is completely covered in a thick layer. Smooth your strips as much as possible. You will want to place at least 3 layers of newspaper on your balloon base. In between each layer, we recommend letting the previous layer dry for a few minutes. This will reduce your ultimate drying time when you are finished. Once you have at least 3 layers, let the piñata dry until it is stiff and no longer wet or sticky to the touch.
Painting your piñata: First, you will paint your piñata a base color. This step helps smooth out the paper and to create an even surface. It doesn't need to be especially well-painted, just enough to cover the paper. However, you might choose a color that matches the crepe paper you'll be adding on or to match the animal/character that you're turning your piñata into, as it may show through.
Glue colorful crepe paper onto the outside of the piñata to decorate it. If you want your piñata to look more traditional, cut out long, wide strips of crepe paper, glue them onto the piñata along one long edge, and cut fringe along the opposite edge.
Filling the piñata: Using a serrated knife, cut a rectangular flap in one side of the balloon (Notice we said flap and not hole). Use the knife to carefully pop the balloon (if it hasn’t already popped cutting the flap LOL). Fill the piñata with candy, confetti, and/or small toys, and then tape the flap shut.
Secure your piñata: For a long lasting piñata, punch two holes in the piñata and pass the string through the holes. For extra reinforcement, pass the string through a plastic lid from a coffee can or use a cardboard tube from an aluminum foil roll.
Savvy Ideas:
Don't limit your decorations to crepe paper! Feathers, glitter, and fake flowers all make festive decorations for a piñata.
You can also use wallpaper paste for a stronger piñata.

Do you know the piñata song? You do now:

Chrous:
Spanish:
Dale, dale, dale.
No pierdas el tino.
Porque si lo pierdes. Pierdes el camino.
Ya le diste una. Ya le diste dos. Ya le diste tres. Y tu tiempo se acabó.

English:
Hit it, hit it, hit it.
Don’t lose your aim.
Because if you lose it. You lose the way.
You hit it once. You hit it twice. You hit it three times. And your time is up.

Ideas for "los niños"

2010-04-29T14:03:00.003-04:00

Are you planning a family event, and want some ideas to keep some of the kids occupied? How about providing some worksheets? I've developed a few. Please feel free to use them!

Games:
Crossword
Crossword Key
Word Scramble (answers: Cinco de Mayo, Mexico, battle, red, green, white, flag, French, general, Napoleon, Viva Mexico, year)
Word Search

Coloring Pages:
Mexican flag coloring page
Cinco de Mayo coloring page
Cactus coloring page
Mariachi band coloring page
Donkey coloring page
Cinco de Mayo sombrero coloring page
Cinco de Mayo feast coloring page

Crafts:
Cinco de Mayo visor (place a rubber band or string through the holes, to complete)

I'm also working on some craft ideas. Stay tuned.

Finishing the decorations...

2010-04-26T03:18:00.002-04:00

As promised (but a little late, sorry, my family and I took an impromptu long weekend trip), here are a few more decoration ideas.

Papel Picado

Things You'll Need:

Piece of computer paper
Multiple sheets of colored tissue paper
Scissors
Razor knife
String
Glue stick

First, trim your tissue paper down to the size of a standard piece of paper-8 ½ inches by 11 inches. Stack two or three pieces of tissue paper on top of one another, then place the stack on top of a piece of computer paper. The computer paper gives the tissue paper stability.

Fold the stack of paper down the middle with the computer paper facing out. Fold it again at the edge of the paper to keep the papers contained. Keep the stack folded as you work: this is what will create a symmetrical design on the finished paper.

If you want, you can sketch a drawing of what you want your papel picado design to look like onto the piece of computer paper so that you will have a pattern to follow.

Begin to cut out your design. Use scissors for cutting out large holes and other less intricate designs. Implement a razor knife when cutting out fine details in your design. Apply enough pressure to go through all the layers without tearing up the delicate tissue paper.

Savvy Tip: Place the tissue paper on the top of an old magazine. This way you can apply enough pressure, and not worry about what surface you are working on.

Flatten out the stack of papers after you are finished cutting. Carefully remove the piece of computer paper to reveal your beautiful design on the tissue paper beneath.

Once you have created a dozen or so of these, it's time to string them up. Line the designs on a flat surface, spaced about an inch apart. Lay a piece of string across the top of the tissue paper design. Fold over about an inch of the top, and glue to itself.

Paper Rose Buds

Another idea you can use, is paper rose buds. After my son's class had made a few of the tradition flowers, their super creative teachers started playing around with the tissue and pipe cleaners and came up with:

Start with a stack of 6 pieces of long, skinny strips of tissue:

Place your pipe cleaner at the edge of the paper, and just start rolling. Stay taunt at first, and then loosen the roll as you come to the end.

Secure the rose to pipe cleaner, but twisting it along the bottom of the paper. Once secure, fluff as much (or little) as you want.

Have fun, and let us know how you are coming along with your decorations. We love to get comments, and if you feel so inclined, send us some photos of your work, and we will display it here!

Decooooraaaations (sung to De Colores)

2010-04-20T15:50:00.004-04:00

Cascarones -There is a tradition in Mexico of making cascarones (eggshell "crackers" filled with confetti). They are created for fiestas and street-party types of celebrations, not just around Easter but for Cinco de Mayo, as well. Growing up in Arizona, there was not a Cinco de Mayo celebration that Jo and I participated in, that did not involve cascarones!

What you will need:

eggs - emptied out
tissue paper - cut into small squares (to cover egg opening)
confetti
glue
scissors

First, you will need to empty out your eggs. I HIGHLY recommend just cracking a small, yet manageable size on the bottom of the egg, in order to get all the white and yolk out (after many years of making these growing up, I think my cheek muscle memory will never ever forget the soreness of blowing out eggs...this technique, while very pretty, it is not only very time consuming, but sometimes makes the eggs harder on the head). Save the raw egg to make your family omelets, scrabbled eggs, or some other egg treat. Savvy Tip: use a pin or needle to break up the yolk. You can manage a smaller hole, and the yolk won't get caught up.

Next, you can use many ways to decorate. Markers, glitter glue, paint, egg dye.

Once your eggs are dried, fill them with confetti. Seal the opening with the tissue paper and glue. Once your glue is dry, you are ready to start smashing them on people's heads...

Tissue flowers: Brightly colored tissue paper flowers are a necessity when it comes to Cinco de Mayo decor. These are very easy to make, and even easier when your son's first grade class is studying Mexico and his super talented teachers decided to make these decorations during an art unit...

What you will need:

scissors
tissue paper
pipe cleaners
optional: your son's first grade class LOL (obviously this was an apropos event, but convenient none the less-that's redundant, isn't it?)

First, make a tidy stack of six pieces (or more) of tissue paper:

Next, cut the stack to a desired length. This can be anywhere from 6 to 12 inches wide, or more. I recommend making a variety of sizes and colors. This will only add dimension to the aesthetics.

Then, secure the center of the tissue with a pipe cleaner.

From here, use your imagination. You can trim the ends with scissors, make notches, the sky is the limit. You can cut an arch shape for a regular round flower or use fancy scissors for ruffled edges.

The magic of the flower begins to appear. Separate each layer of tissue carefully, beginning with the inside, making your way out.

You now have a beautiful flower!

Stay tuned for more decoration ideas. Coming up is a new 'twist' on the tissue paper flower idea, and papel picado, cut paper banners that are an additional Mexican fiesta tradition, and you will see why. With cheerful colors and clever cutouts, how can you not include these?

Decorations alternative?

2010-04-20T15:49:00.001-04:00

Are you feeling that you aren't that creative? Our hope is that we are providing (and will continue to provide) you with easy, fun, yet very attractive decorations. But just in case you would rather purchase items instead of making them, that is just as savvy!

Currently Shindigz is offer 15% all orders over $75 (use code VSK44T). You can stock up on items for your Cinco de Mayo fiesta, as well as any other parties you are planning throughout the rest of the year.

Here are some ideas from Amazon:

Time to send out the invites

2010-04-14T07:17:00.008-04:00

So, how are you going to do it? Are you going to use evite (one of our personal favorites for informal parties)? Check out just one of the super cute evites they have there:

OR do you want to do something creative and hand out the invitations, personally? Here are some ideas from us to you:

FLAG INVITATION: Use a picture of the Mexican flag and on the back, provide all the party information (don't forget to use Jo's ideas from yesterday, see below).:

BOTTLE INVITATION: Do you have a beer drinker (or 2) in your family? Next time you (or he) goes to the store to pick up some brewskies...pick up some Corona or Dos XX. (Maybe you can have a pre-help-us-drink-beer-so-you-can-get-invited-to-our-cinco-de-mayo-party). Once the beer is consumed, rinse out the bottles, dry, and place the invitation rolled up inside.

MARACA INVITATION: One year, for Jo's daughter's birthday/slumber party, she passed out the girls' invitations in ONE slipper. Then, each girl got the second slipper when the came to the spa themed party. So, using that idea, how about rolling up an invitation on the handle of one maraca. When your guests arrive, they must find their matching maraca (somewhere amongst the party decorations)!

Looking for some cute invitation ideas for the above ideas? How about...

You can ALWAYS use something traditional and find some pre-printed invites like:

A Party by Any Other Name . . .

2010-04-13T12:03:00.004-04:00

I find it fun to name all my parties. They help the party take on a life of their own. A name can be as simple as The Smith Family’s 1st Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta or Smith Bowl 2010 (for a Super Bowl party). You can also get creative. Our annual after-Christmas re-gifting party is known as “Gift-miss”. Shelley often treats her expecting friends to Baby-Que (a family BBQ baby shower). We spend every Halloween at Bubba Factor (our dear friend Bubba’s Fear Factor themed party). Some Cinco de Mayo ideas are:

• Fiesta de Amigos

• Smith* Family Fiesta Grande

• 1st Annual Run for the Border

• Fiesta Smith*

• 1st Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

• Nacho Ordinary Party

I also like to give the party location a fun name. It adds to the overall theme and helps with the decorating. For Super Bowl, invite your friends to join you at Smith* Stadium. We live on Sugar Lane. My daughter invites her friends to “Club Sugar Lane” each year for her birthday party. We have even made a sign to hang above the door and borrow velvet ropes to set the stage before they even get through the door. For Cinco de Mayo, invite your guests to:

• Casa Smith

• Margarita John’s*

• Fajita Joe’s*

• South of the (Insert your subdivision name here) Border

• Casa de Fiesta

• Smith’s* Cantina.

You can even use a free online translator to translate your street name into Spanish. “Sugar Lane” translates to “Calle de Azúcar” Get creative and have fun with it. If you come up with other great ideas use the comment section below to share.

* Insert your name here.

A party is only as good as its guests

2010-04-11T12:46:00.011-04:00

It's time to put together the guest list for your Cinco de Mayo party. Determine how many people you want to invite. Grab a pencil and paper and get to work. Everyone has their own formula: equal number of men and women, a banker, a journalist, somebody involved in politics, a restaurateur, someone in marketing . . . a butcher, baker, and candlestick maker. My method has evolved over the years and works well for me. Use it as a place to start and adjust it to fit your needs.

I start with my best friends-- you know, the ones who show up early to help set up and stay to put the leftover food in the refrigerator. I even give them a quick call to make sure that they can come. I have three couples on my short list and I try to never have a party unless at least two of them can come.

Then I add someone that we have known for a while, but never invited to anything—you know, that couple that you see and think, “I bet we could be good friends if we got to know each other well.” Sometimes they are a neighbor, someone from church, the parents of my child’s friend, etc.

Next, I pick at least two people from each of our different “worlds”—work, church, neighborhood, soccer, etc. I pick at least two so that everyone knows someone. If it’s a small community of people, I invite everyone. For example, there are only four people in my husband’s department. Even though I only like two of them, I invite all of them. Chances are, the people I don’t get along with will probably not come. I now have my first draft.

I go through the list and edit. Sometimes I add and sometimes I subtract. If you find yourself with someone on the list that is not a good match, it’s OK to cross them off.

Singles: If there are single people on the list, I make sure that at least 25% of the invitees are single. I DO NOT try to play matchmaker. My goal is to make them feel comfortable and not out of their element.
Social Class: We have a HUGE mix of friends. Our guest lists often include CEO’s, college professors, politicians, doctors, plumbers, electricians, elementary school teachers, firemen, people who live in mansions, people who live in trailers, etc. To make a party work, everyone must feel like they belong. I go through the list and make sure that there are equal numbers of people from each social class. If you try to pretend that we live in a classless society, you will mess this up and people will feel like outcasts.
Understand Your Motive: What kind of party is this? Will we be playing games or having a sit down dinner with conversation? With my motive in mind, I go through the list again. I know which of my friends are good at games, enjoy acting silly, are great conversationalists, etc. It is OK to cross off your friends who hate playing games, they will probably be grateful. You can always invite them to your wine and cheese tasting party.
Let’s Talk: Review the list for conversation styles. I know which of my friends love to talk politics and which ones love to talk about shopping. Visualize the party: I can see Neal and Bud standing near the beverages discussing health care, Cindi, Heather, and Donlyn sitting on the couch talking about their children. Where is Cathy? She does not fit in with either group-- I have to fix that.
The social butterflies: I always add one to two social butterflies—even if I don’t really like them. You know who I am talking about—your husband’s coworker who has something to say about everything and Sally-do-good from the PTA who is always laughing and telling some story about their latest travels. Even though you have long reached the conclusion that you will never break through their hard candy shell to get to the melts-in-your-mouth goodness that makes a friend a friend, they are AWESOME people to have at parties. They will talk to everyone. They bridge the barriers and bring people together. They make people feel welcome. Remember, it took you a while to decide that you don’t really want to be friends with Sally. You neighbor is just meeting her and will probably never see her again.
Who did I forget?: I break out the Christmas card list and add anyone that I may have forgotten. I also run my finished draft by my husband. He always finds someone to add.

A few parting words of advice:

Don’t:
Invite just one type of person
Invite someone who doesn’t really fit because you owe them
Invite known adversaries
Do:
Try your best
Take the time after the party to critique which guests worked well and which ones left early. Make notes for next time.

Good Luck!

Today is the day

2010-04-06T11:58:00.003-04:00

. . . to set the date for your Cinco de Mayo party. This year The 5th of May falls on a Wednesday (Am I the only one who has to say Wed-nes-day out loud every time I spell it? Why is "Wednesday" pronounced so differently than its spelling? All the other days of the week are pretty straight forward, so just wondering...) In the south, where I live, Wednesday is a big church night. I would never plan a party on a Wednesday unless it was for church. It’s O.K. to celebrate a holiday early. The weather in early May is beautiful. Your options are wide open. You can choose an evening dinner party or a Saturday afternoon backyard fiesta. The choices are abundant.

Step 1: Check your schedule. You are the host and your schedule is the most important. Do not try to host a party that you have to squeeze between your daughters piano recital and dinner with your significant other’s boss. Last minute drama always happens and you need to schedule time for unexpected events. I also like to schedule a full day to clean and prepare my house. I try to avoid Friday evening parties. I like to have all day Saturday to get ready. Plus everything is much smoother when I can use my D.H. (Darling Husband) and teenage son to do all the heavy lifting.

Step 2: Consider your guests. Who are you inviting? Is this an adult only party or will there be families with kids? Do they need to put children to bed by 8:00pm? Are they working all day followed by their regularly scheduled trip to the gym? Do they need to be up early for church on Sunday? Think about who you might invite and consider a time that is convenient for them. As much as you would like to think that they are your best friends and would drop anything to see you, the reality is that life gets in the way. Don’t make your friends choose between you and life—you might not like the outcome.

Option 1: Use Evite. Evite.com has a great feature now that lets you poll your guests for the best time to have an event. You can enter up to 5 dates and times and your guests respond with their choice. While this would not be appropriate for a wedding, it is totally appropriate for an informal Cinco de Mayo party.

Option 2: Pick a Budget Savvy date. There is nothing wrong with celebrating Cinco de Mayo on My 9th or 10th. Choosing this option is always easy on the pocketbook. The stores will start to mark things down about one week before May 5th. On May 6th, whatever is left will be 50% to 70% off.

The first step in planning a party is to pick the date. There is no need for wailing and gnashing of teeth. We will be here to walk you through the rest. Go ahead—I dare you!

Don't forget...

2010-04-05T06:07:00.002-04:00

...to hit all your favorite shops for the after Easter sales.

For example, look at this great deal I found for my boys. They love, love, LOVE Thomas the Tank Engine...Here is the Easter Thomas...or maybe stock up on some bunny glasses for next year!

Most places like Target, Walmart, Kmart, etc. will have all Easter decorations for 50% off or more. Also don't forget to check on-line. Pottery Barn Kids, Oriental Trading, and Lillian Vernon, are some good places to check out!

Time to stock up

2010-04-01T13:27:00.000-04:00

I just returned from Target. They had a section with basketball decorations for March Madness. It has all been reduced to 50% off. Now is the time to stock up for your son’s birthday party. Happy hunting!

Easter Party Games and Ideas

2010-03-30T10:56:00.003-04:00

Jelly Bean Jar
Supplies:

Large glass jar filled with jelly beans
Small pieces of paper
Easter basket
Pencil

How To Play: Have children write their name on a small piece of paper and their guess as to how many jelly beans are in the jar. The child who guesses the right number or comes closest takes the jar of candy home to share with their family.

Pin the tail on the bunny
Supplies:

A cut out bunny
blindfold
Cotton balls (for tail)
tape

How To Play: Everyone take a cotton ball. Each child takes turn, while blindfolded, putting their cotton ball tail on the cut out of the bunny. The child who is the closest to the actual spot wins a prize. Other suggestions for prizes: child furthest from the spot, child with the tail in the silliest place.

Easter Cupcake Walk
Supplies:

Cupcake for each child
Numbers taped to the floor
Easter basket to hold number call cards
Music

How To Play: When the music starts the children begin to walk around the room stepping on each of the numbers as they go. When the music stops the children should step on the number closest to them. A number is pulled from the Easter basket and the child standing on that number gets to choose a cupcake and return to their desk. That number is then removed from the floor and the bag. Continue until every child has a cupcake.

Easter Egg Roll
Supplies:

1 hard-boiled Easter egg for each team (maybe a few extras)
1 spoon for each team

How To Play: Divide children into teams. The goal is for the first person to roll the egg with the spoon to the end of the course and back. The person hands the spoon to the next person in line and the relay continues until a team finishes.

What do you celebrate?

2010-03-29T22:07:00.001-04:00

The key to hosting a GREAT party is choosing your celebration carefully. If you are new to hosting parties, don’t bite off more than you can handle—start small. If your neighbor’s house is the place to be on New Years Eve, don’t try to compete. I find that my most successful parties are the holidays that most people don’t celebrate. Instead of hosting a Christmas party and competing with everyone’s busy holiday schedules, we have an after-Christmas re-gifting party. It's a huge success and I get to take advantage of all the after-Christmas sales, making it a Budget Savvy choice, too. One small holiday that I love to celebrate is Cinco De Mayo (probably because I grew-up 2 hours from the Mexican border).

The holiday of Cinco De Mayo, The 5th of May, commemorates the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Although the Mexican army was eventually defeated, the "Batalla de Puebla" came to represent a symbol of Mexican unity and patriotism. It is primarily a regional holiday celebrated throughout the Mexican state of Puebla, and especially in U.S. cities with a significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico’s Independence Day, which is actually September 16. Even better, it’s a great excuse for fiesta, fun, food, and margaritas!

Some Easter Fun Facts

2010-03-29T12:23:00.002-04:00

Jellybeans
The jellybean date back to 1861. They were used in an advertisement to promote sending jellybean treats to soldiers in the Union Army. By 1998, jellybean consumption for the Easter season totaled 15 billion. If these beans were lined up end-to-end they would circle the globe almost three times.

Easter Egg Dye
Easter egg dye was marketed at a whopping 5-cents a packet for the first time in 1880 by Pharmacist William Townley of Newark, NJ.

Fabergé Eggs
In 1885 Russian Czar Alexander III commissioned Master Jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé to make a fabulously bejeweled Imperial Easter Egg as an Easter day surprise for his wife, Czarina Maria Gydorovna. She loved the gift so much, the Czar commissioned 56 more. The current value for a single Imperial Egg is about $6,000,000.

Eggs-A-Million
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 600,000,000 eggs are usually sold in America during the months of March and April, or Easter season.

Peeps-A-Plenty
A symphony of 600,000,000 Marshmallow Peeps, and their silent partner, chocolate bunnies, are typically consumed by Americans during Easter season.

April Fool's Day

2010-03-27T06:24:00.001-04:00

Want to pull a fast one on your kids this April Fool's Day? How about cooking up some cupcakes. But instead of batter, it's meatloaf. And instead of frosting it's mash potatoes with food coloring!

Side note: Because of our allergy ridden house, I make a turkey meat loaf. My kids LOVE it. I will include a recipe for a classic meat loaf (the dear hubby loves) and the turkey loaf we enjoy as a family

Recipe:

Ingredients
CLASSIC Meat Loaf
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs (I always use the Italian Bread Crumbs in the canister)
1/4 milk (or water...we use water because of allergies)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 t. dried Italian seasoning
1 lb. ground beef

TURKEY Meat Loaf
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 small chopped onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs (again, I use the Italian Bread Crumbs in the canister)
1 egg beaten
1 cup grated Parmesan (we omit because of allergies, but I imagine it's TASTY)
2 T Dijon mustard
1 7 ounce jar sun-dried tomatoes
Salt and pepper

POTATO FROSTING
3 cups mashed potatoes
Food coloring

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with foil bake cups.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the meat loaf ingredients until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the lined cups (the liners should be about three quarters full).

Place the filled muffin tins on cookie sheets and bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Divide the mashed potatoes among three small bowls and stir a few drops of food coloring into each batch to create blue, yellow, and pink pastel frostings. Spread a generous dollop on each cupcake. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Easter Time!

2010-03-23T06:07:00.000-04:00

If your kids are anything like mine, the one thing the look forward to the most during this time of year, is dying Easter eggs. Living overseas, I have one unique problem, in that white eggs are VERY hard to find. We still dye the brown eggs, but the colors are a little muted. One technique I've discovered that works well with our situation is to turn lemons into lemonade, so to speak. We use rubber bands! We wrap the eggs with the wide rubber bands, and then the brown shows through. This would work great with white eggs, as well. After you dye the eggs with the rubber bands, allow to dry and then place in a new color. This is a great twist on an old tradition!

What you need:

hard boiled eggs
Easter egg dye
rubber bands

Just wrap the eggs with the rubber bands before dropping the egg into the dye (as mentioned above, we find the thicker bands work best).

Once the egg reaches the color you desire, remove from the dye and let dry. Remove all or some of the rubber bands, and drop into other colors (if, you so desire). If you do choose to use other colors, just remember to let the dye dry before you remove the rubber bands!

Happy Easter!

One man’s junk is a party decorator’s treasure.

2010-03-15T18:15:00.015-04:00

I hit the Mother’s of Multiples consignment sale this weekend. I picked up a Little Tyke football-shaped toy chest for $5—SCORE! I plan to use it at our annual Super Bowl party. I'm going to fill it with ice and cans of soda. Then, I’m going to use it as a storage bin for the other decorations.

It’s probably time to confess that I am budget savvy, thrifty, and down right cheap. If it costs too much, I just won’t buy it. I am a yard sale junkie and Maxxinista, but I prefer the term Frugalista. I order everything else online and never without free shipping and a coupon code. My favorite family vacation is our annual trip to the Longest Yard Sale. Yes ladies, we even take an RV to avoid paying for a hotel. If HGTV covers it every year, I can’t be too much of a dork for going. To my critics I say, thrifty is green—I am not cheap, just environmentally savvy.

SAVVY TIP: Keep your eyes open year-round for potential party decorations. Yard sales, the Junior League Attic Sale, church rummage sales, etc are great places to find over-the-top decorations for next to nothing. Go to our Savvy Tips and Ideas Page for more yard sale tips.

Email jackpot...

2010-03-15T16:01:00.009-04:00

I had to share with you an email I just got from Birthday Express
Happy shopping and happy saving! Just in case you can't read the code it's "50clear" and it expires 3/21/2010.

Oh honey, who is looking at us anyway?

2010-03-12T10:51:00.005-05:00

Our friend shared this YouTube video with us. Posting videos on this blog will not become a habit, but this one spoke to us. Our dirty little secret is that being stay-at-home-moms is not always fulfilling. This blog, PartySavvyMoms.com, and SundayMom.com are our "stupid ideas."

We've been talking to each other for years about someday starting an online party planning business. One day Jo picked up the phone and called Shelley and said, "Today is the day, I dare you." 30 minutes later we were online. 2 Massive Messes to Savvy Success (check), 4 Savvy Tips and Ideas (check), 6 Daily Etiquette Tips (check), 10 blog posts (check)....60,000 to go. We have no idea if anyone out there is even looking at us, but we are and we are proud.

We have so much more to share with you, don't give up on us. Letting your friends know we're here, wouldn't hurt either (wink, wink).

We are hoping you find your "Dare You" moment, too. Use the comments section below to share your "Dare You" moment with us!

Calgon, take me away...

2010-03-12T06:41:00.004-05:00

After my morning, afternoon, and anticipated evening, I just realized it is almost that time of the month. Not for my monthly visitor ladies, geesh, for MOM'S NIGHT OUT. Mom's Night Out can be just what any mom needs to recharge her batteries. It's easy to sacrifice your own fun during the week but it's important for moms to get away from the kids for the sake of sanity. Here are some tips for organizing a Mom's Night Out.

Get a variety of women together. Whether it's your BFFs or a mom you only talk with during drop-off and pick-up, consider getting everyone together for a great night out. You can also include women who are not moms if you prefer. The size of your guest list may determine the activity you plan. The main goal is the get a group of FUN ladies together, without the kids and husbands (sorry guys).
Try to think of interesting ideas that go beyond the usual dinner and a movie. You can host a Bunco Night, wine cheese party, game night, etc. The sky is the limit.
Decide which activity you want to do. You can consult some of the other moms that are invited, but if you ask too many people it may only make the decision more difficult.
Send out invitations to the other moms. This can be as simple as an email. Just make sure you keep the line of communication open, so you have an idea of the number of ladies who will be attending. You can request official RSVPs, but what I have found is, if you request that someone RSVP by a certain date, some may not be able to commit. How often do we know if we can truly get away until the day before? Remember this is a fun night out, not an official function.
Make any necessary reservations for the Mom's Night Out activity once you have an idea of the number of attendees. I always make the reservation for +2 the confirmed moms. Some ladies may realize at the last minute they can make it after all. But also keep in mind, vomiting children can occur at any time, causing someone to cancel.
Send out a reminder email a few days before the scheduled Mom's Night Out so the other moms can make any last minute arrangements.
Have fun at your Mom's Night Out!

Always keep in mind the budgets of the other moms when planning the Mom's Night Out activity. Don't be offended if some of the moms can't make it. Some moms have difficulty leaving their kids and all of us have busy schedules! This is why my girlfriends and I like doing this monthly. If you can't make this month's MNO, there is always next month.

Savvy Tip: Did you know that May 6, 2010 is National Mom's Nite Out? Maybe you want to mark it on your calendar. This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship, or another reason to go out, you decide!

“Crayons are for coloring.”

2010-03-10T10:37:00.002-05:00

I 'm a proud mom! My almost 2 year old learned how to put two crayons in his nose and leave them hanging like a walrus (I can’t seem to find the spot to record that in his baby book). It got such a great reaction from the other restaurant patrons and staff that he thinks he is the toddler version of Jay Leno (or Conan, or Letterman, or whoever’s side you stand by). At least he’s not sticking other things in his nose, yet. But it won’t be long before he’s demanding an audition with Etrade.

SAVVY TIP: Keep an emergency restaurant kit (toys, sippy cup, books, etc.) in the trunk of your car because spontaneity is no longer your friend.

Another Birthday Party tip - Be Prepared

2010-03-10T05:04:00.003-05:00

Order extra food and prepare extra goody bags for unexpected guests. Keep extra costumes on hand for theme or costume parties, just in case Billy shows up without one. The host should also have phone numbers for all parents and a first aid kit.

What are we working on for you?

2010-03-09T13:07:00.001-05:00

As we use this blog to give you some pointers and tips in party planning, our ultimate goal is to put together a party plan for you to use to have a successful event. As we have mentioned, and will continue to remind you, we have done all of these events for years for our family, our school, our church and our community. We now are sharing it with you.

One of my favorite activities is Moms' Night Out. My girlfriends and I get together once a month, leaving the cares and worries behind, and leaving the kids with their fathers or baby-sitters.

We fall off our diets, drink our favorite wine, margaritas, or drink-of-choice, and we talk. But more importantly WE LAUGH.

We talk about our kids, about the neighbors, about the PTA. We vent about our husbands, our jobs, their jobs. We play catch up on TV shows, current events, and anything else that might come about.

One of our favorite activities is getting together and playing a silly, mindless dice game with wild abandon, hoping to take home a few more prizes then we arrived with. This game, you may have heard of, is Bunco. I am not here to sell you Bunco. What I am here to do is show you how to have a fun time with girlfriends, and one event you may consider hosting is a Bunco night.

I'm in the process of showing you how to do this from inviting your girlfriends (so you have enough for a productive Bunco night), providing a sample menu, giving you collection of materials you may want to use (if you don't want to go out and buy your own Bunco set).

Here is an example of my Bunco Score Card:

So to answer the title question, I'm working on providing a Mom's Night Out for you. Soon, you will be able to visit PartySavvyMoms.com and get information on how to host your very own Bunco night!

And look what I found...

2010-03-05T05:33:00.001-05:00

To go along with our Daily Etiquette Tip, look what I found at Target.com (my favorite shopping site)...

Please Remove Your Shoes - Black/White (6") at Target.com

Beat a theme to death

2010-03-04T10:25:00.002-05:00

It takes so much effort to make decorations, come up with a menu, plan games, etc. Make it easier on yourself and use the same theme more than once. At my house 2005 was the year of the luau. The Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet had a luau theme, the Christmas Parade Float was Elvis in “Blue Hawaii”, my daughter’s birthday was Island Princess, Cub Scout Day Camp was Pirates (where the boys built a wooden boat to earn their Handyman badge and then reused it as their Christopher Columbus entry in the 4th of July parade) and Vacation Bible School was Son Rock Treasure Island. Decorations, menu, games, and costumes were all reused with a slight twist for each event. Each event was unique and I cut my work in half. 2006 was the year of the Mexican Fiesta— Feliz Navidad!

Christmas Float

Can you see the pirate ship and Christmas float in the front yard?

Feliz Navidad!

Say Cheese

2010-03-04T10:04:00.001-05:00

I am really enjoying doing this. I have spent the morning going through photos looking for things to post (Even though I should be sorting through things for the children’s consignment sale on Saturday). I have done a terrible job taking photos. It is always so hectic for the host.

Taking photos is something that can be delegated to someone else. Ask your best friend to be in charge of photos. Give her your camera or you will have to wait for her to download the photos and get them to you. I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but your adorable “Monkey Man’s” first birthday is never as important to someone else as it is to you. It might take a week to get the photos and you will want them before you go to bed that night.

Make sure to take photos of the decorations before the guests arrive (they are always a little trashed by the time they leave), your table (see our Savvy Tips), and your guests having a great time. You put so much effort into the party; you will want to remember it. As a guest, it is the first thing I offer to do and the host is ALWAYS grateful.

I also like to give a cheap digital camera to a child (disposables also work, but they will use up all the photos in the first 5 minutes taking pictures of their friends nostrils). You will get a totally different perspective on the party. They take phots of things they like and things that impress them. I beg you to try it. It is absolutely adorable!

I am in serious trouble now. I just cracked open a Diet Coke and a box of Girl Scout cookies. What are the chances that I will get any real work done today?

Gratuitous “Monkey Man” cuteness

What have we done?

2010-03-03T06:35:00.002-05:00

As we are in the process of gathering everything we have done in the past, and putting it together for you, we are coming across photos and materials. I thought I would post just a few to get you asking for more (wink, wink)...

Here is a photo of the 50s themed party Jo threw for her daughter

The same room, one year later . . . Aloha!

(F.Y.I. My daughter is a total ham. We don’t know where it comes from-- I haven’t had a good photo since my senior portrait. )

A party fit for a princess.

Here are some from a baby shower Shelley threw for her friend...the nursery was Care Bears, can you tell?

The party favors

Table with the diaper cake, clothing bouquet, and one of the many games

Here we go, again . . .

2010-03-02T12:05:00.000-05:00

Now that this is online, I suppose it is official. I have always worked better under pressure. I have to say that I am super excited. Let’s hope this goes better than that time we shared a room!