How To Throw A Simple Frozen Party Without Losing Your Mind (or blowing your budget!)

 Hey there friends!

Abbey turned 5 last month. FIVE!

And, like every other 5 year old girl on the planet, she wanted a Frozen party. I love throwing themed parties. I really do! They give me a direction for planning, and get my creative juices flowing. Her rainbow party was so much fun to do! However, it can be so easy to see all of those beautiful parties on Pinterest and get a little jealous. I can't ice custom cookies, I don't have 15 cake stands, and let's be honest...those parties take a budget much larger than mine! They are beautiful, and lots of fun, but you can absolutely throw a great themed party with an every day skill set, and a small budget.

Pink Lemonade Baby Shower

Hi friends!

I had the opportunity this past weekend to work with some wonderful ladies to bless a friend of ours. Julie was pregnant with her third baby, a girl. Now, I realize that most people don't have baby showers after their first baby. However, Julie had commented on the fact that she needed things like burp cloths, and a nice baby carrier. It had been 5 years since her last baby, and 8 years since her last girl, so she needed a little refreshing. So, we decided to throw her a "sprinkle"! Get it? Not a full shower, just a sprinkle? Ha!

We knew we wanted to do something simple, but cute. After throwing out a few ideas, we settled on Pink Lemonade! Pink, yellow, mason jars, lemons, cupcakes! Perfect for a new little girl.

We started out by starting a group board on Pinterest to collect ideas (private, of course, so mama couldn't see what we were doing!) This was so helpful! Now we all had the same vision, and could keep an eye out for things as we were out and about shopping. It's a lot easier to find deals when everyone knows what to be watching for!

This banner from TaterTots & Jello was perfect! Most of our decorations were light pink and yellow, but I loved the fun pop that these brighter colors gave everything. 

To play off of those bright colors, I made some tissue paper poms in the same bright colors. These are such an easy and affordable way to make in impact with party decor. Tissue paper can be found in just about every color you could need for just a few dollars. You can make large poms, or if you really need to stretch your budget you can make lots of little ones. House On The Way has a great post about how many layers to use to get the most out of every size! Mine were all between 8 and 10 inches across.

Table decorations were also super simple. Easy flower arrangements, colored peanut chocolate candies, and of course, lemons! We found this Pinkalicious book that was just too perfect, so it became part of the table decor as well!

Another flower arrangement and some more poms on a side table tied everything together. 

We kept food simple. Fruit and veggie trays, and taco dip. One friend brought some adorable finger sandwiches.

Another friend made a fruit baby! So cute!

We made a simple pink lemonade punch. Pink lemonade concentrate, lemon seltzer water and raspberry sherbet. Easy and not too sweet. Perfect! We also had a drink dispenser of lemon water. Of course, all of it was enjoyed in mason jars! What else? Cute paper straws add a great touch, and are pretty easy to find!

Every baby shower needs fun games. As people came into the party they had the chance to do two things. First we had some wall art with baby's initials on it. It was made to match her nursery. My friend Christine makes those photo blocks. How cute is it? 

Baby's name was a secret, so everyone took a chance to add their guess to the list.

Then, we had these absolutely adorable Wishes for Baby cards from Parraclan Designs. Everyone got the chance to leave their wishes for Baby B. While they were all heartfelt, nothing was sweeter than the wishes from Big Sister! The cards also match the nursery, and we gave them to Mom with a white shadow box so that they could be used as decorations. This nursery is AMAZING! It was done by Kelly Kate Interiors, and you can check it out here.

Instead of cards, we requested that guests bring a book with (or as) their gift. This way Baby B had the beginnings of a great library, and each book had a sweet note from someone who loves her.

I think Mom was happy, how about you? Isn't she adorable? 

We must have thrown a great party, because Baby B decided that she just couldn't stay inside any more! She was born 2 days later (9 days early) and is absolutely beautiful!

What are your tips for throwing a party on a budget?

Did you have a baby shower for more than one baby? 

Be blessed!

Heather

Easy Water Play

Hey there friends,

I don't know about you, but around here it is that great part of the year when we still have some great weather a head of us, but I am out. of. ideas! Don't get me wrong, I love themed play ideas and activities, but at this point I just need something easy to get Abbey out into the backyard and kept busy.

It doesn't get any easier than water play. Grab a few large plastic containers or bowls (the bigger the better, otherwise you're refilling every 2 minutes!), a cup or two, some bath toys, whatever. Fill 'em up, put 'em outside, and let the littles go at it.

 Abbey stays busy with this little set up, and it takes no planning whatsoever. She finds things that sink and things that float, she scoops and pours, and her favorite thing is "painting" the deck. I threw an $.88 paint brush in with her toys and it was the best addition ever!

Keep on playing, little girl!

What are you doing to enjoy the nice weather you have left? We've still got trips to the zoo and all sorts of good things planned!

What are your go to easy play ideas?

Be blessed!

Heather

DIY Color Discs

Hi friends!!

If you were paying attention to the DIY Light Table post, you may have noticed a little sneak peek of today's post.

Light Tables are such great learning tools, but the toys made specifically for them can get pricey. Today I have for you...

Have you ever been walking around your favorite craft store just waiting for inspiration to strike? It's dangerous, I know.
I was doing just that when I spotted these...

They're simple keychains. Probably meant to hold a picture or something, but I saw their hidden potential. At the time Abbey had a set of color discs that came with a play set she had brought home from school. She loved using them on her new light table, but we were going to have to give them back. I knew that these keychains were the answer to my problem! All I needed was a way to color them...

Cue inspiration number 2! Abbey loves those paint-your-own "stained glass" kits, and that glaze was exactly what I needed.

I used the glaze to fill up a keychain in each color.

and set them out to dry. Aren't they pretty?

They're PERFECT on Abbey's light table!

They live on a binder ring, and just get tossed into the bin when we're not playing with the light box. Easy peasy!

These would make great stocking stuffers for a little one who already has a light table.

Don't have a light table? You could make your own, and one of these color disc sets for less than $40! Sounds pretty budget friendly to me!

Be blessed!

Heather

Surviving a Roadtrip with a Toddler

Hey there friends!

You all know that we went on a family vacation a few weeks ago. With Labor Day coming up (at least here in the states) I wanted to share some tips that got us through the trip with a little one. This is a big travel weekend for a lot of people, and I know I was looking for any tips I could  get!

Red, White & Blue {on a Budget!}

Hello friends!

My friend, Samantha, is here today to share her ideas for having a great 4th of July on a budget!

Enjoy!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

One of my absolute favorite holidays has to be the Fourth of July. Our summer is filled with parades and fireworks displays and Independence Day is the pinnacle! Over the years, I've learned some tips and tricks to keep the festivities huge while keeping the dent in your wallet small.

1. Start the day with a {nutritional} bang! 

Who doesn't love a delicious & festive breakfast? My favorite tradition is to make whole wheat pancakes, top them with blueberries and cut strawberries (both favorites in this house) with a few dollops of whipped cream. The perfect oomph to give you the energy to enjoy all those celebrations!

2. Dollar stores and Target's Dollar Spot are treasure troves.

Inevitably, as we hit the evening hours, the boys catch sight of all the beautiful glowing sticks, bracelets, and fancy whirling lights. We hem and haw over the outrageous price tag as vendors walk by. In the weeks leading up to the Fourth, I head out to my local dollar store and Target's Dollar Spot to spy items that my boys will love, keep them occupied and keep us from going broke! This year, I've picked up a few small packages of flags, 2 glow stick flags, 4 packages of glow necklaces (my niece and nephews occasionally join us) and some festive dessert cupcake liners and toppers - all for around $5. It pays to plan!

3.  Pack snacks and drinks!

When waiting around for the fireworks, the time seems to go by so slowly and we always seem to get an extra burst of hunger. Instead of opting for the overpriced park fare, we bring our own bags of fruit, crackers, bottles of water, and the candy from our local parade satisfies our sweet tooth.

4. Prepare for anything!

Bug spray, sunscreen, sweatshirts (yes, one year it was FREEZING), blankets, chairs, strollers, and all the regular child essentials. Whether you are headed to a friend's house or out for the day to a festival, you never want to be stuck without what you may need!

5. Coordinate your wardrobe (using what you already have!)

In the past, I've been a sucker for complete red, white, and blue (usually matching) outfits. I'd snag the Old Navy shirts for $5 and call it a day.  But inevitably, the boys would grow out of them, the year would no longer be relevant and I'd find myself wasting money. Now, I dress our family up for the day based on what we already have in our closet (blue) jean shorts for the boys and white/blue/red shirts for the boys with what we already own. It's usually cheaper (and reusable!) throughout the year.

6. Save a little, so you can splurge occasionally!

Who doesn't love enjoying ice cream while watching fireworks light up the night sky? Save money throughout your day to enjoy some ice cream as a family later. 

The most important thing to remember is that memories are made as a family, not necessarily with your pocketbook. I have fond memories of these same activities with my parents and am thrilled to now share that with my boys.

Happy Independence Day!

I'm an almost thirty-something mom of two little fellas that married my high school sweetheart. I love the following in this order: God, family, friends, coffee, iPhone, chocolate. I'm not afraid to try new things unless it involves exercising. I hope to one day live on a beach with feet in the sand every day. For now, I blog over at The Peanuts Gang and consider myself a lady of all trades.

Sah-weeeet!

Hi friends!

So, I've always been completely a tiny bit envious of those bloggers who find fantastic things on the side of the road. You know, vintage whatever-era furniture and what not. The only things I ever see are nasty old couches that are going to give someone vintage whatever-era tetanus. 

NOT TODAY MY FRIENDS!!

Abbey and I were coming back from the store this afternoon, and totally struck gold!

Are you ready...

Here it comes....

Ta-daaaaa!!

Hahaha! You were expecting some sort of fantastic hutch weren't you?

1. I live in a basement, what am I going to do with a hutch?

2. This is SO much better than that!

Abbey loves to be outside, so having this for her to color and eat on will be great all summer. The table top opens up and can be either storage, or water table. Who doesn't love a water table? It can also come inside in the winter and hold coloring supplies. Sweet!

It needs a little bit of cleaning, but who cares? It's fantastic, and will  last forever!

Now...who knows how to get marker off of plastic?

Toddler Box 2: Beads

Hi everyone! 

I'm here with another Toddler Box for you, and then on to some Kids Co-Op linky goodness!

I am having so much fun putting these boxes together, and Abbey is having so much fun playing with them (which is, after all, the point!) I can't wait to share more of them!

Here is this weeks addition:

Bead stringing! I love this activity because you can do so much with it, and it can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. It addresses all sorts of skills, and is SO easy to put together. A big tub of beads (I used maybe a third of it) and some pipe cleaners and you are set. 

NOTE: If you have any reason to believe that this activity poses a safety concern to your child, please don't do it, k? Thanks!

Why pipe cleaners you ask? Why not string? I like using pipe cleaners because you don't have to worry about the beads falling off the end! No knots. no nothing!

Abbey loves playing with her beads!

This game is especially fun to play while rocking some serious bed-head, and some new Dora jammers. If you haven't done it, I highly recommend it.

If you can believe it, this is the toned-down version of this morning's bed-head. It was epic.

You can do so many things with this box.

You can work on plain ol' fine motor skills:

You can match colors:

You can match patterns:

This is a new one for Abbey, so I think we'll be working on this one quite a bit.

Or, you can make "snails".

and take them swimming.

It's your choice, really!

Now it's time for Kids Co-Op fun! 

If you're new to the Kids Co-Op linky party, let me explain it a bit to you. This isn't your typical link up. Anything you link up here, will also appear at all of our co-hosts blogs. How cool is that? This week we have almost 60 co-hosts! That's your idea, at almost 60 different sites, with one little link up! Sweet deal.

Make sure to check out some of the awesome activities that get linked up. There is some fantastic stuff in there every week!

Felt Food, I need some!

Abbey got a play kitchen for Christmas, and she adores it! I knew we were going to give her one this year, and I had visions of upcycled tv stand kitchens dancing in my head, but when you find a nice one at Aldi for $30, you jump on it.

Now, what good is a kitchen without food? Sure, I could go to Target and buy a tub of  plastic play food, but that's no fun! Let's see what kind of crafty goodness is out there...

I've had these pinned forever:

Source: ohcrafts.net via Heather on Pinterest

They are super cute, all hand stitched and adorable, but let's face it...that's just not going to get done. I'll get, like, 2 orange slices and a doughnut done and quit. Just being honest...

Dana over at MADE has some super cute felt food tutorials that are much more in my range of attention span crafting abilities. I love the ideas in this post.

How cute are these grapes? They pull apart and everything!

Maybe buttons for the grapes instead of felt? Who knows, but they're definitely on my to-do list!

Dana also has some super cute cookie ideas

These aren't too far off from the cookies in the cookie game in Abbey's Quiet Book, so I know I can handle these, haha!

It doesn't get any easier than Lil Blue Boo's pasta...

And while I love making things at home for Abbey, I also know when I just can't beat a good price. Have you seen the play food at IKEA??

Abbey already has the fruit.

via

but the veggies, and the breakfast foods are on my list! For $8 per set, I just can't beat it!

via

via

This post isn't sponsored by IKEA, I just really love these toys! Don't even get me started on the play pots and pans that my mom brought home last week! Too cute!

Be blessed!