Blog Giveaways - sooooo many but I never win

I'm trying again. I never win but you can't win if you don't play. Check it out there are so many presents I'm sure you'll fins one you like. I'm entering Giveaway Celebration (#3): Banner/Buttons for Websites/Blogs.

 http://www.sarahsdeals.net/search/label/Giveaway

Party Favor Find

Slogged thru the rain storm to do a bit of shopping. Stopped at Joannes for some Car Party supplies and stumbled across a great slumber or monster theme party favor. On clearance for $1.97 per pillow & .50 for each extra. Smooshies, a make your own kooky, cuddly creature, a very cool party favor for under $5 each.

My son(I know he needs a haircut) with his new Monster Buddy

Buddy box with extra parts

PINK POODLE PARTY

Hosting a Pink Poodle party tomorrow. I LOVE Pink! With no daughters, this is the only way I get my girly groove on:)

Girls will stuff their own poodle, theirs to keep & cherish, and design a t-shirt for their new friend and a beaded collar. Would love to have some bling bling collars but we're using pony beads. I'll host the adoption station where the girls will weigh, measure, name & promise to love their new precious poodle.

Now it's time to trot on over to the Poodle Cafe for some delicious scooby snacks & pink lemonade. With their bellys full and their thirst quenched they're ready to curl up and snooze the afternoon away. But not a chance, it's time for the Poodle Puppy Show.

Take your party over the top with Doggie songs - I love the cd I created for this theme, some songs we prance around to are

• I want to be a puppy dog
• Bingo
• How much is that doggy in the window
• Doggie salsa (great beat)
• Hound Dog (gotta love Elvis!)
• Walkin the dog
• Who let the dogs out
• Puppy love (I'm showin my age but I don't care - I love love love Donny Osmond)

Here's some photos to enjoy

Some photos from past Poodle Parties

Cake by http://www.cakesbysuzy.com/

Making a star wish for the birthday girl.

St Patrick's Day

Happy St Paddy's Day - 1 day late

I know most bloggers post days even weeks before a Holiday but I am just not that organized, maybe next time.

I vote that St Patrick's Day be moved to a friday or saturday, always. The day isn't that fun when it falls on a week day. To start the day we had Irish Soda bread, toasted with irish butter. Usually irish soda bread is so dry and I'm not a huge fan but this bread(from Acme) was wonderful, just like a good raisin bread. The butter at $3.99 was well worth the price(fromSuperfresh), not sure what makes it different from american butter but it sure tastes delish.

Went to the Green Parrot pub in the afternoon for a Harp and to listen to an irish band. The band was due to start at 2 but for some reason began at 3, didn't matter as they were very disappointing. Will need to find a different pub next year.

St Paddy's Day is no fun to celebrate by yourself so I invited friends over for dinner. Started the corned beef & cabbage in the am, slow cooker cooking is the best. Whipped up some green jello for the kids and bought(I'm not a baker) a few slices of cake for the adults. Made Colcannon for the first time and it was delish!! I highly recommend this recipe and I will be making it again http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Dianes-Colcannon/Detail.aspx.

Made myself an apple martini, just had to have a green drink.

Also picked up some Blarney Castle cheese, very mellow flavor, would have been good with some apple slices.

My table was a bit boring so I added a green boa, not pictured. The hat & coins are from the dollar store, napkins from the grocery store. I will be on the look out for green plates & glasses this year:) We had the kids do a shamrock scavenger hunt through the house and a hunt for more green coins.

ERIN
GO
BRAUGH!

SPY PARTY - SON'S BIRTHDAY

I have been blessed with only one child, my son Parker. He is the best kid, I am so so so lucky. He turned 9  last week and this weekend we celebrated with a SPY Party. We kept the party small to 5 friends as we needed everyone to fit into one van. We had activities at home and then piled into the van for a spy hunt through our town. I only did 3 stops thru the town, not knowing how it would go and if the boys would enjoy it. I should have done more! they loved running into a store to find the next clue, it was awesome.

The invitation(which I don't have a photo of) was in very very small font and sent in a padded envelope with a magnifying glass. I ordered gable boxes from http://www.garnish.com/ and added stickers with their spy name. I originally wanted to order each child a black duffel bag but could not find them for a decent price. I lucked out and found black sweatshirts for $3 each at walmart and ironed on their spy name. Inside the box were binoculars, a flashlight, small notepad, kookie pen, a black knit cap, spy sunglasses, a black&white lanyard and funny glasses. We made spy badges and fingerprinted the boys, these they attached to the lanyards. Activities were

• Target shooting, with nerf gun. Husband drew target right on the glass back door.
• Bubble wrap game, have to walk/crawl very slowly and not pop bubbles. They loved this game!
• Bomb detonation - pop black balloons by sitting on them, first clue was inside one of balloons
• Clue hunt. Clues rhymed and led them to a location for the next clue. Inside the house were the first 2 and then onto 7-11 for slurpees, pet smart and acme for doritoes.

Back home for chicken fingers, fries, cake & enormous ice-cream sundaes. In addition to the sweatshirts, the box with stuff, I also had a candy bar, colors were yellow & black & white.

My son loved his party and after 3 hours I was ready for a glass of wine(a couple of glasses:)

Tried to upload photos 2x, but keeps freezing my computer, argh! trying again.

                                                                                      Cake from Confection Perfection in Richboro.