M&Ms

M&Ms are my new best friend.
Not only are they good to eat (especially the coconut ones), but the little drops of chocolate get my daughter to do ANYTHING.
It's how we toilet trained, got her to pick up toys, set the table for dinner, put her clothes on, etc. etc.

I came across this fun game from tokketok. 

Organize the colors accordingly, review them with mom, and then eat!

Cinco de Mayo and Children's Day craft

Thursday, May 5th, we celebrate Cinco do Mayo and Children's Day.

I thought I'd re-create this simple pinata from scrumdillydo in celebration of both holidays.

Host a White Elephant Christmas Party

 

My husband and I have hosted a few white elephant Christmas parties and they get better and better each year. 

If you've never done one before, here are the rules:

You will want to give your guests some guidance on your invitation. Define what type of "White Elephant Gift" is appropriate for your party.

-under $10
-ugly
-useless
-gag gift
-ugliest ornament
-pick a theme of your own

How to get started:

1) Get a count of participants and draw numbers based on the number of people participating.
Tip: Create your numbers in advance and have them ready to be put in a hat.
2) Start choosing gifts. The person who drew #1 goes first and opens their gift then #2 and so on.
3) After the first person picks each successive person has the opportunity to choose an unopened gift or "steal" a gift from somebody who has already chosen. If your gift is stolen you now get to choose an unopened gift or steal another opened gift excluding the just stolen gift. After the stealing and such as been completed continue on with numerical order until everyone has a gift.

Optional Rules:

-After a gift is stolen 3 times it is "dead" and cannot be stolen again
-the person who picked first has the opportunity to now "steal" after all gifts are opened

-Have everyone attach a gift card or certificate to their "White Elephant" at a predetermined value of $10-$20.

-Have some extra "White Elephants" wrapped and available for guests who forgot to bring a gift. Everyone should participate if possible.

-For office party gift exchanges have a theme related to work related gag gifts that will "help with productivity"

-Have a "door prize" for best or worst "White Elephant Gift" chosen by the senior or oldest person at the party. This should be of value to encourage creativity.

And my favorite part (which we always do) have each guest also bring a pot luck item- a dessert, chips, veggies, etc. That way you have food and fun!

image credit

most rules from squidoo

Activities for Advent Calendar

As promised, here are our activities for the Christmas Advent Calendar 2011:

 

{and in case you were wondering what Christmas in Hawaii looks like-photo}

1-Set up Christmas Tree
2-Sip cider
3-Hang stockings
4-Ward Christmas Party
5-Make a swag with real Christmas Tree branches
6-See city lights festival
7-Make felt-ball garland
8-Ride the Christmas train in the mall with kiddos
9-Roast marshmallows by the fire with friends
10-Watch 'The Santa Claus'
11-Take Christmas photos
12-Visit the Temple Christmas display
13-Make orange/clove pomanders
14-Eggnog time
15-Head to the library with kids to pick out Christmas books
16-Make Christmas cookies/gifts for neighbors
17-Host White Elephant Christmas party
18-Romantic candlelit dinner with husband under the Christmas tree
19-Sip hot cocoa
20-Eat a chocolate orange (the ones you whack on the table)
21-Finish holiday shopping
22-Watch a holiday movie as a family
23-Make sugar cookies
24-Read Jesus' birth in the Bible and Book of Mormon
25- a MERRY CHRISTMAS! with a full breakfast, Christmas music, and gifts

Some ideas came from here

Turkey!!!!

If you don't already have enough things to do before Thanksgiving (or if you are going to someone else's and you don't have to cook much) you could make a crafting table for the kids/adults. I like these ideas:

Gobbling turkey apples
with Make and Takes






Rice Krispie Turkeys
from Make and Takes by family fun
 

Popcorn Turkey
from OneCharmingParty
 

Thankful Turkey Plate
from Simply Modern Mom
 

Felt Turkey Pops
by Parents






Turkey Crayon Holder
by Parents
 

 I know this isn't turkey related, but too clever not to add...
A Mayflower Placecard
from Parents again




Have fun crafting!

How to: keep the kids entertained while Thanksgiving dinner is being set up

This idea can get pretty messy, so you may want to figure something out for the younger kids who make big messes. 

Get out your play-dough, or make some. 

Die the play-dough in colors related to Thanksgiving. 

Divide the dough equally to each child and let them create a Thanksgiving History Scene (or a turkey, an Indian Chief, Pilgrims, vegetables, etc). 

Choose a judge and pick a winner. 

The winner gets the first piece of pie and all the whipped cream they want!! haha.

This is what my daughter and I created for Halloween. 

Halloween Games

Loving this idea from MS. 

By using balloons, candy, and confetti, one can have the perfect game and take home treats in one!

Goldfish Party: Part III

Success!

The party was a hit and most importantly,
the birthday girl had a lot of fun

I made cupcakes and a goldfish cake for dessert. The goldfish cake was simple: make a cake and bake them in two 8 or 9 inch pans. Place them on top of each other after baking and cut out a fish shape.  I tried to shape and round the edges a little, but I didn't want to mess with it too much. Afterward just frost it up and dab on M&M's starting from the bottom then going up. Then add one brown M&M for the eye.

The cute orange/polka dot cupcake liners are from Bake it Pretty (along with the fish fortune favors)

I made these pearl/clam cookies with vanilla wafers, orange frosting and a tic-tac. The kids loved them

We had the tables covered with coordinating confetti with little photos of the birthday girl 

and small bowls with goldfish crackers

As well as an assortment of other kinds of fish crackers
-chocolate, sour cream & onion, pretzel, regular cheese, and parmesan

I also made a "blue sea-foam dip" (sour cream and onion)

We dressed the area in blue and orange streamers and balloons and hung the banner 

For games we played:

a fish-bean bag game

had a fishing pond

musical numbers

and a dance contest

The dance contest was a big hit with the kids!

The food included:

hamburgers

hot dogs

pearl/clam cookies

veggies

watermelon

potato salad

chips

dip

various goldfish crackers

cupcakes

otter pops

ice cream

For more photos for invitations, favors, banners, etc. go here and here

Book-Themed Baby Shower

Ohdeedoh featured this adorable baby shower by CJ and Pink Tea with books as the theme

-which I think is the best way to choose a theme for any party

{like the Hungry Caterpillar party we had last year}.

You can get free downloads for games and favor tags from the orignator, Pink Tea.

Balloon Theme Party

Balloons! 

 Kids can't seem to stop playing with them while at a party- that's what inspired me for this theme. 

Ideas for invitations
My favorite is:
- blow up a regular balloon and write: YOU'RE INVITED (pop for details)
- deflate the balloon and stuff it with half full with confetti (make sure pen dries before deflating)
- type up the invitation details and information on a piece of paper. Roll it up and also stuff into the balloon.

- fill the balloon up with helium; tie on a string and hand deliver the invite.

Second favorite is:
- blow up balloon and write all the invitation information on the balloon.
- Put in envelope with directions that say something like 'blow up balloon'

I chose the easier method- paper (as pictured):
- cut out a balloon shape on cardstock
- tie on a string
- type up information on back

Games
- Tie a balloon around the ankle of each child and let the kids try to pop one another's balloons by stepping on them. The trick is to keep their own balloon from being popped by others.
- Write challenges on small pieces of paper for each of the kids, "Kiss a friend," "Sing a song," "Do a dance," "5 jumping jacks," etc. Roll up one note in each balloon, blow up balloons, and toss them on the party floor. Have the kids try to pop a balloon. When a balloon pops, everyone stops moving. The guest who popped the balloon must read the instructions on the note and perform the challenge.
- Play "Who can keep the balloon up in the air the longest" or "Who can pop the most balloons."

Decorations
- Decorate with balloons everywhere! the more the merrier. Tie them to the mail box, front yard trees, along the roof line, down the driveway, around the front door
- Fill the party room with balloons. On the door, along the walls, floating and suspending, spread on the floor, etc.

Favors
- Give the kids a balloon bouquet and make cleaning up the decorations easier. Attach regular balloons onto straws, or tie helium balloons onto long ribbons.
- Give packages of variously sized, uninflated balloons with candy in a bag.

- Give the kids a pack of uninflated water balloons to enjoy at home.

Food
- Have lots of round snacks that look like balloons. Round crackers with cheese or peanut butter, carrots and cucumber wheels, spaghetti-Os in a bowl, round sandwiches, etc.
- Attach "strings" to balloon treats using edible things: licorice, string cheese, pretzels, etc.

Remember: Be sure to keep young children supervised around balloons. Uninflated and popped balloon pieces pose a chocking hazard.

And you can get hats, invitations, favor bags and other coordinating items for this ballooned themed party here on etsy with ::Party Accessories::