We just hosted our second son's 1st birthday party last weekend and it was wonderful. Exactly what I think a first birthday should be about -- the kids and the craziness they bring to your life. Lots of friends and family celebrated with us and little Tommy certainly knew he was loved in a big way. Now, my oldest is about to turn 3 and party planning is back into full swing here.
I'm feeling a bit more pressure with the 3rd birthday because I think that Sammy may actually remember this one as he gets older. My earliest memories are from when I was about 3 years old and moving into the house that I really grew up in. I remember checking out the bedrooms, the yellow carpet that my mom hated, and how it seemed so big to me. I also remember a lot of my birthday parties. We always had them at home and my mom pulled everything together from the Breakfast with Lea party to the 50's themed dance party with a bubble gum chewing contest.
As I start to construct my cardboard box trains (more on this later) for Sammy's train themed party, I have this lingering feeling of expectation hanging over me. I hope I can create memories like my mom did for me and give Sammy a great party. Wish me luck!!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
New love....Spray paint!
I love spray paint. It is a new found love but certainly one that will be around for a long time. I used to think of spray paint as something that was used for art projects and that's it. And then we inherited some wicker chairs that needed a little sprucing up. Armed with a few cans of white spray paint, I transformed my front porch into a chic oasis fit for the Hamptons.
But I didn't stop there, I started to use spray paint for much more then wicker. The application is super easy, it dries fast, and it is cheap. And the options in terms of finishes and colors are pretty extensive too.
My latest project was an old lamp from Restoration Hardware whose paint on the base had chipped off, but the shape and overall look of lamp remained intact. Two quick coats of spray paint and I had myself a brand new lamp. The paint I like to use is by Rustoleum. For this project I used a textured paint that gave the lamp a hammered finish. It not only looks hammered but feels that way too. Basically, its awesome.
Now I just need to work on the shade and then I will be in business!
But I didn't stop there, I started to use spray paint for much more then wicker. The application is super easy, it dries fast, and it is cheap. And the options in terms of finishes and colors are pretty extensive too.
My latest project was an old lamp from Restoration Hardware whose paint on the base had chipped off, but the shape and overall look of lamp remained intact. Two quick coats of spray paint and I had myself a brand new lamp. The paint I like to use is by Rustoleum. For this project I used a textured paint that gave the lamp a hammered finish. It not only looks hammered but feels that way too. Basically, its awesome.
Now I just need to work on the shade and then I will be in business!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Fall means.....Bulb Planting!!
Each summer I get the Breck's catalog with such anticipation. I love seeing all the new flowers they are offering, how many I can get at a steal price, and what will withstand my very aggressive deer population.
Spring and summer blooming bulbs can be planted all fall, right up until Thanksgiving in Southeastern Pennsylvania, so don't feel and pressure to get them into the ground asap. You want to get them into the ground before it freezes, giving them time for their roots to establish before winter.
Bulbs are a wonderful flower, you plant them once and they come back. There is little to no maintenance and the price is fairly inexpensive too. They like well drained soil (meaning they shouldn't be planted where water pools) and a balanced pH in the soil that can feed the bulbs. If you are worried about your soil pH, you can have it tested at some garden centers or you can always throw in some compost while you are planting to enrich the soil.
Most spring bulbs like daffodils like sun, but remember since these bulbs bloom before the trees, they can be planted almost anywhere in your yard and still get a lot of sun. Its really nice to have a bright flower in a spot of your yard that typically can not grow most flowers because of the heavy shade.
I have still only lived in my house just over a year and the previous owner didn't plant anything in the yard (such boring people!!!) so I am slowly adding more and more bulbs each season. I wish I could plant hundreds at once, but the cost and finding the time to do it are both really hard to come by.
Last fall I was about 37 weeks pregnant when we moved and I planted 40 bulbs with my mom the following weekend. It was hard work then with a giant belly, but I was thankful after the long winter to have some life in my back yard come spring. Tackling the rest of my hilly, rocky, weed infested, poison ivy factory back yard is a whole other story!
When they do bloom, take a picture, not just to share with others but also for you to have as a map of where things were the past year and blank spots that need to be filled in this year. Here is a quick snap shot from my kitchen window from last spring, there are more bulbs spread across the hill side and it really was a pretty sight. But......
if I want to end up with a back yard that looks more like this:
I need to develop some patience and think of this project as more of a 5 year plan then something that is completed in one growing season. Happy Planting!
Spring and summer blooming bulbs can be planted all fall, right up until Thanksgiving in Southeastern Pennsylvania, so don't feel and pressure to get them into the ground asap. You want to get them into the ground before it freezes, giving them time for their roots to establish before winter.
Bulbs are a wonderful flower, you plant them once and they come back. There is little to no maintenance and the price is fairly inexpensive too. They like well drained soil (meaning they shouldn't be planted where water pools) and a balanced pH in the soil that can feed the bulbs. If you are worried about your soil pH, you can have it tested at some garden centers or you can always throw in some compost while you are planting to enrich the soil.
Most spring bulbs like daffodils like sun, but remember since these bulbs bloom before the trees, they can be planted almost anywhere in your yard and still get a lot of sun. Its really nice to have a bright flower in a spot of your yard that typically can not grow most flowers because of the heavy shade.
I have still only lived in my house just over a year and the previous owner didn't plant anything in the yard (such boring people!!!) so I am slowly adding more and more bulbs each season. I wish I could plant hundreds at once, but the cost and finding the time to do it are both really hard to come by.
Last fall I was about 37 weeks pregnant when we moved and I planted 40 bulbs with my mom the following weekend. It was hard work then with a giant belly, but I was thankful after the long winter to have some life in my back yard come spring. Tackling the rest of my hilly, rocky, weed infested, poison ivy factory back yard is a whole other story!
When they do bloom, take a picture, not just to share with others but also for you to have as a map of where things were the past year and blank spots that need to be filled in this year. Here is a quick snap shot from my kitchen window from last spring, there are more bulbs spread across the hill side and it really was a pretty sight. But......
if I want to end up with a back yard that looks more like this:
I need to develop some patience and think of this project as more of a 5 year plan then something that is completed in one growing season. Happy Planting!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Epic Baking Failure Last Week
I really enjoy baking. I like the whole process from beginning to end, especially the end process when I get to taste what I have created. Usually it is a yummy creation, something that I have been craving and have truly needed in my diet.
With the fall weather now upon us, I truly needed to make pumpkin bread. I typically make this recipe about 6-8 times throughout the fall/early winter season without any problems. So you can imagine my huge disappointment when I realized that my inaugural pumpkin bread was a complete and utter failure.
I forgot one very simple ingredient that is so easy to forget and so unforgiving when you do so.....baking soda.
My pumpkin bread takes about an hour to cook even with the convection setting on the oven. You can imagine the wonderful smell throughout the house and the anticipation of taking that first bite. Did I also mention that I was not only making one batch of bread, but two. One for us at home at devour and the other for the Mom's Tea at my son's preschool the next morning.
At 10:34pm, I pulled the pumpkin bread from the oven and thought it looked a little different to me, but just thought it was because I had not made it in months. Boy was I wrong!!! I sliced into it, had a cup of tea ready to drink as I inhaled it, and then it happened. I realized my epic failure would cost me two loaves of pumpkin bread and much needed sleep as I stayed up late baking a new, correctly made loaf for the Mom's Tea in the morning.
Lesson learned. Always double check your recipe, especially when baking soda is involved.
With the fall weather now upon us, I truly needed to make pumpkin bread. I typically make this recipe about 6-8 times throughout the fall/early winter season without any problems. So you can imagine my huge disappointment when I realized that my inaugural pumpkin bread was a complete and utter failure.
I forgot one very simple ingredient that is so easy to forget and so unforgiving when you do so.....baking soda.
My pumpkin bread takes about an hour to cook even with the convection setting on the oven. You can imagine the wonderful smell throughout the house and the anticipation of taking that first bite. Did I also mention that I was not only making one batch of bread, but two. One for us at home at devour and the other for the Mom's Tea at my son's preschool the next morning.
At 10:34pm, I pulled the pumpkin bread from the oven and thought it looked a little different to me, but just thought it was because I had not made it in months. Boy was I wrong!!! I sliced into it, had a cup of tea ready to drink as I inhaled it, and then it happened. I realized my epic failure would cost me two loaves of pumpkin bread and much needed sleep as I stayed up late baking a new, correctly made loaf for the Mom's Tea in the morning.
Lesson learned. Always double check your recipe, especially when baking soda is involved.
Monday, October 24, 2011
1st Birthday Construction Party
1st Birthday
Construction Party!
Having two very active little boys and a very full list of attendees, I knew that my son's 1st birthday party would have to have some action in it, thus, a Construction Party was born! I tried to keep it simple, easy, and inexpensive.
Decorations included black table cloths with yellow duct tape down the center to create roads, soccer cones serving as construction cones, road signs, caution tape, and borrowed trucks from the boys vast collection.
By far the "entertainment" was the hit of the evening. I created a nail and hammer station made from styrofoam and golf tees. I borrowed this idea from my son's preschool, so I can't take all the credit. It was genius. The kids played with this for a solid hour, maybe even more. I had two long pieces of styrofoam from Home Depot, 100 golf tees, and 10 hammers. The kids went to work and just pounded away! In addition to the nail and hammer station, I also had hard hats for everyone and stickers for them to decorate their hat. Both activities really kept the kids busy and were incredibly easy for me to do as well.
For goodie bags, again I kept it really simple, ordering things from Oriental Trading like the construction rubber duckie, tool bath squirts, and dump truck stationery boxes. I loaded them all into my son's wheel barrel, hoping no child would take off through house with it!
And the party would not be complete without a beautiful Dump Truck cake and of course, a smash cake for the 1 year old. It was a great success and lots of fun. Now onto planning the 3 year old birthday party for next month........
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