Construction Birthday Party!

August hit me hard this year. I think it was the first time I've felt so busy as a mom. My husband said I was finally to the Soccer Mom stage of my life. Well I've finally slowed down a bit and would like to share the boy's combined birthday party we had a couple weeks ago.

I took a picture of the construction going on behind our house and used it as the back ground for the invite.

As guest arrived they had to follow a few construction signs to get to the back. I made these with orange poster boards and black paper I cut out with my silhouette SD.

As they went through the gate they received a hard hat and apron. In the apron was a demolition ball (jaw breaker) and measuring tape (bubble tape). The kids then played in the sandbox as we waited for the rest of the kids.

First activity of the party was hammering nails into wood. They seemed to really like this and didn't want to stop to go on to the next game.

The next game was pin the wrench on the pipe. I came up with this one from an idea I saw online. They did pin the nail on the hammer, but I was already doing a hammer game and wanted to use a different tool.

Next we did some building and demolition. you could use cereal boxes for this as well. I hadn't saved any so I was really excited to find these brick boxes at Wal-mart for only $10. The best part is my kids still love playing with them even weeks after the party.

The next event and the biggest hit with the kids was painting. We replaced our air conditioner this summer and still had the box. I'm sure you could get one from a store or I have seen cardboard houses that are meant to be painted or colored. Not sure where to buy those though. I bought some cheap paint trays, foam brushes and rollers, and poster paint.

After the painting we got everyone washed up and got ready for cake and ice cream. They kids watched the construction going on behind our house as they waited.

We had chocolate cake(dirt), ice cream (cookies and cream to look dirty) cones (orange cones).

Here is the cake. sorry the coloring is so bad.

We then opened presents.

I'm showing this gift for Brig, because it was the one I made. I just used a small mans black shirt, which I trimmed a bit and hemmed. Bought the rubber boots on clearance. I put yellow duct tape around the edges. I'm sure the tape will come of, but it is easy to fix.

Lastly we did a pinata. I looked everywhere near me for a construction themed pinata and could not find one, so I made one.

As they left they got a party bag with candy corn, reeses pieces, stickers and a small truck or tractor.

Safari Baby Shower

My brother's wife had their baby last week! she is adorable! don't you think? I could just eat babies up they are so sweet! 

Last month my mother and I through a bridal shower for mommy to be! the invites where printed and pasted with animal print paper as back ground.

We're “wild” with excitement.

The time is drawing near.

The Queen of the Safari, is almost here.

Amanda's tummy is expanding

So let's shower her with gift's and cheer!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

7:00 pm

(address)

American Fork, UT 84003

Give us a roarrr if you DON''T plan on swinging by!

Cathy: (phone) email@email.com

Emmalee:(phone) email@email.com

(there is no theme for their nursery and they do not need any of the large baby items.)

We went with a safari theme. 

 

We got the balloons at Macey's Food and Drug, but you can get them at most party stores or on Amazon.

Simple palm decoration I got from Dollar Tree.

 

 

 We wanted to go with a more traditional safari look rather then pastels. the table cloth is just a canvas paint drop cloth from the hardware store. I had some safari fabric I bought a while ago so I made a table runner and banner. we used dowels to hold the pineapples together to make the tree and added palm leaves from Dollar Tree to add to the top. 

 

The letters on the banner are pinned on with safety pins. I thought it would go well with the baby shower idea. The letters were cut out with my silhouette SD on pink card stock.

 For food we had a yogurt bar. The guests had a choice between plain, honey or vanilla yogurt. a variety of fruit, granola, monkey bread, banana bread, and water.

 It's hard to know if you should play games or not at these things. The older generation seems to like games, and the younger generation seems to dislike them. We decided to do a few games and paint onesies for the new arrival.

 

 We had a game as everyone came in that had a list of animals and you are to name the baby animal. This was the deluxe version. has things like "what is the name of a baby Ant?"

We then had the guest go on a safari and count all the baby items hidden around the yard. 

For the onesies we had images cut out with my silhouette SD on freezer paper. If you iron the freezer paper shinny side down it will stick to the onesies and makes a great stencil. Some people also free handed things. We had paints, brushes, sponge blotters, and paint markers available to everyone. It turned out better then I had hoped!

Here is the gift I made for her. You have probably seen them all over lately. I think everyone is excited to do something different then the over used diaper cake.

Train and Airplane Quilts

I'm so excited for today's post! I started this last September and was hoping to have them finished for Christmas. I might have done it if I didn't make anything else. I finally finished in May and I love them! What do you think?

I took a quilting class in collage (wont say how many years ago). Thinking I knew what I was doing  made a wall hanging about 2'x3'. Not the prettiest thing. Don't even have a picture.

 I came across a blog, Diary of a quilter (before pinterest) that has a tutorial on how to make a quilt. I learned more from that tutorial then I ever did in the quilting class. After feeling confident I knew what I was doing, I took the plunge and made two twin size Quilts! 

 

My favorite part of the airplane quilt is the pinwheel squares that look like airplane propellers. 

 

With the airplane quilt I went for a more detailed (complicated) center with a basic (easy) boarder. with the train I went the other way around. The train boarder was probably what took the longest out of the whole project.

My favorite part of the train quilt is the railroad track boarder. I came up with that one on my own.

Granola

Summer has hit and as many of you know that means kids home, vacations, and overall just busy. Sorry it has been a month or more sense I last posted. I have been doing many fun things I want to share. They just take up so much of my day, it has been hard to find time to post them to share with all of you.

Last night I hosted, along with my mom, a baby shower for my sister-in-law (more on that later). We had a yogurt bar with fruit and granola toppings. The granola was a great hit and everyone was asking for the recipe. I wish I could take full credit for it, but I got it from my sister, who got it from a friend. I had made a few small changes, for the original recipe check it out here on my family's recipe blog. what better treat for the summer then granola and fresh berries?

Granola Recipe

2 Cups old fashioned oats
1/2 Cup wheat germ
1/4 Cup ground flaxseed
1/2 Cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts (I like pecan too, any nut will work)

Put all dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Turn stove on low heat and add to a small saucepan:

1 Tablespoon water
3 Tablespoons coconut oil (canola oil will work too)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon (depending on how strong you want it)
1/2 Cup Honey

Mix together until runny. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.

Spray cookie sheet and spread granola on cookie sheet. (It works fine if you skip the spray)

Bake at 275 for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, as not to burn.

When done, let cool completely before putting into a airtight container. I normally put mine in a gallon size zip up bag. triple the recipe and it fills it all the way up.

Waz Up Wednesday's? - Ten Week Challenge

 Waz up Wednesday's is when I talk about a project I've been working on recently. It may still be a project I'm currently working on or one I have recently finished.

I know this is not a craft project, but it is a project on myself. It will also be on my to do list for the next while.

 

Have you had days, months, or years like this?

 

I have struggled with me weight ever sense hitting puberty. I really never tried to do anything too serious about it until about a year after my first child was born. I lost 50 lbs that year and still had more to go, but got pregnant.

 

I made it through the pregnancy with out hitting my highest (non-pregnancy) weight. It was great, I was motivated. I went back to work at losing weight. It got frustrating. I was working just as hard as before and losing it half as fast.

 After 9 months of that and still being 10 lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight, plus a few other life demands. I gave up.

I kept telling myself I was going to maintain, just not lose any more. now I think...

 That was nearly two years ago. I've now gained it all back. I'm ten pounds shy of my heaviest (non-pregnancy) weight. Back to ground zero. I've been trying to get motivated this past year, but it only last about 2-3 weeks and then the scale shows nothing for it.

At Easter time I decided I really needed to focus on another fitness goal and not on the scale because it was just depressing me, not motivating me. I decided I wanted to run.

I have always admired those who run. Never had the desire to do it myself, as a younger person, thought it would be sooo boring. Now it sounds nice and almost relaxing. more noise in my everyday life I guess. My only problem is that I have never been able to run. If I run more then a few seconds my lungs start to burn. Even the couch to 5K plans I see out there were/are to advanced for me.

 I came up with my own plan. It's more of a step by step plan not a day by day plan. Each time I pass a off a step, wither it takes one week or five or more, I will celebrate. I will feel good about myself! I will focus on what I have accomplished not on what I still need to to.

 

I will only be working on running once a week. The rest of the week I will be doing other things I enjoy for work outs as well. I think over all fitness will help me with the running too.

Last week My sister called with an idea of doing a weight loss challenge. we have done them with our family before, but this time we wanted to have our extended family en-valved. We are basing this off the plan we found on Six sisters stuff. We extended it to a ten week challenge, rather then their eight week one, because it will then end the weekend before our annual family reunion. 

My plan:

I will be exercising 5 days a week, eating whole foods (as close as possible), and counting calories. We started the challenge this past Monday. There is points for exercising, eating right, drinking enough water, etc. We also get points for losing weight. There will be two winners at the end. the one with the most overall points and the one who lost the most weight. I'm just hoping this will get me started on my weight loss journey!

 All pictures I found on Pinterest.

Food Friday - 'Nana bread

I am not a lover of bananas!

Never have been.

I think it's the texture more then anything.

I do love me some banana bread though.

Every time I make this it is gone with in 24 hours, both loafs.

It's a favorite here at our house.

'Nana Bread

1/3 C honey (or agave nectar)
1 egg (I've left this our before and it seems the same)
2 T pure vanilla extract

Mix above together

Add:
3 C smashed bananas

mix together

Add:
1 1/2 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 C oat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 C ground flaxseed (optional)

mix by hand until just mixed.

add to greased bread pans (two). bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 min.

Waz up Wednesday? - Garden

Waz up Wednesday's is when I talk about a project I've been working on recently. It may still be a project I'm currently working on or one I have recently finished.

We have had some progress on our garden.

We built our garden boxes.

we stapled weed barrier on the bottom. and flipped them over.

we had long staples so some of them needed a little hammering to get all the way flush.

this stinker toad was a big help "donking" (hammering)...."donk...donk...donk" I love it!

we then mixed up some Mel's mix.

added it to the boxes.

sprayed it down as we went. This stuff soaks up a lot of water, so it is advised to add it as you go. especially if you are planning on planting right away.

we decided to use some string to make a square foot grid in one of the boxes.

we are not filling each square, mainly because I have yet to see a tomato plant grow that small.

We have planted a few plants.

our lettuce and carrots were planted by seed and are just coming up. We should have planted them earlier, but the boxes were not ready.

We bought some tomato and broccoli starters and planted them this past weekend.

It is still a little early for the tomatoes so we put walls of water to prevent any possible freezing at night.

we are still planning on planting peppers, corn, zucchini, pumpkin, green beans.

 We also attached our faucet to the pipe that went out there. (it was installed by previous owners) It's hooked to our sprinkling system so we eventually want to have a dip hose system attached and we will not have to worry so much about watering.

This is a tree I bought for the far corner of our yard. I meant to have it planted earth-day weekend, but still haven't got to it.