Party Hardy

4th of July is right around the corner! Are you hosting a party? If you want to go all out, get some inspiration from HWTM! I once threw a party for my daughters 2nd birthday with a great spread like this below. There were lollipops sticking up out of m&m's and all sorts of yummy candy. It was beautiful! Problem is that kids do not just stand here as seen below...they try to devour every grain of sugar in front of them. My adult party guests spent about an hour yelling at the kids to "drop it" "thats enough" and "i'm going to count to 3" (my current way of letting my daughter know that my head is about to explode). I finally just removed it all so we could all play. So, party it up, just minimize the sweets or put out appetizers that parents wont mind their little ones shoveling in their mouths.

Flower Power

How adorable are these baby bloomers by Baby Aspen? What a great shower gift! Sure to get you oh's and ahh's. Get the Bunch O Bloomers at Amazon for $25.00!

I'm BACKKKK!

HI! My little one is now 3 months old!!! I am feeling like a healthy person again! My little angels also give me almost an hour in the morning of quiet ( if I put Barbie on that is). Time to blog again! I'm going to get my brain in order and pull together some ideas to share. Hope I haven't lost everyone in the process :)

Here is what keeps me so busy these days :)

Baby Legs

Have you seen these adorable baby legs? If you need a shower gift or have a little one on the way I highly recommend them! I would not buy them for any child over one years old as my daughter won't seem to keep them on, but boy do they come handy when changing diapers! They run about $10.00-$12.00 each or you can buy a cute matching set of 3 for $30.00. Use this coupon code "FAVE10" and save 10% on their website from their "FAVORITES" category for a limited time!

Please Please Me...

I have become intensely frustrated lately. I am about 6 months pregnant and therefore slow and tired and just trying to get through the day with a two year old. It is hard for my psyche when I am unable to perform to my previous standards and have to "ask" for help. My hormones have me a bit emotional of course so that means more tears during heart felt commercials and nastier words during quarrels. I am ,however, particularly concerned with my husbands demands. He wants me to make sure his socks are washed and together and in his drawer when he needs them. I cannot wrestle the left sock monster in my condition...doesn't he know that?!? So dear, please please me.....and don't complain! You might lose a limb in the process!

A Double Rainbow All The Way!

Have you ever been this moved? This video is pretty funny. I think this guy may have thought he just won 4 pots of gold :)

Amazing 3 year old...

This amazing 3 year old memorizes poetry. Check out this video of him reciting "litany" and "The Eagle". I think he may break some hearts in 20 years or so :)

Mod Cloth

I love this retro clothing site. I especially love that they have a selection of dresses that have a longer length. I'm a little taller than the average bear so most dresses fall just a little short on me. Check these out... you are sure to love them!

Tea Cupcakes

Hostess with the Mostess featured these adorable cupcake molds that look like tea cups. What an elegant dessert to serve at a luncheon or baby shower! Click here to see more info about where to pick these babies up!

Nigerian Parents Give Birth To White Baby

A Nigerian couple living in Britain has stunned genetic experts while giving birth to a very white baby with blue eyes and very blonde curly hair. Click Here to link to full article at Blink.com

How to photograph a home for sale...

If you are trying to sell your house now, God bless you! You need all the help you can get in this market. Here are some good tips from CasaSugar that you might find helpful!


Rule number one of capturing the best pictures of your home is to get rid of all the clutter and clean up. Make beds perfectly, shine up glass and stainless, close the toilet bowl lid, fluff pillows, etc. A flawless looking pad could be the difference in getting a potential buyer or not.

Homes don't always look their best head on. Try to find your house's best angle by experimenting using different points of view. Avoid taking shots that focus on the garage door. Similarly, crop out less appealing features inside and out.

Your house is for sale, not your car. Remove any vehicles from the picture and try to avoid showing any parked cars on the street as well.

Partially set the dining room table or kitchen bar to make it picture perfect. You don't need to bother with all the utensils and cups, but the goal here is to make potential buyers find the room inviting and livable.

Capturing your pad in natural light is always best, but you should avoid taking the pictures when it's too bright or too dark. An hour after sunset or an hour before sunrise often provide good, soft light. Turn on the interior lights as well. If possible, skip the flash, which can make an image look sterile.

Click here to view photos and get more great info!

Renee Loux

She has become my new favorite greenie. Check out her blog here! She has great tips and ideas for healthy living/eating. She also has an amazing cook book called The Balanced Plate.





View some of her plastic tips below that you may not have thought about!

1. DON’T MIX HOT FOODS AND PLASTIC.
Putting hot stuff in plastic containers is never a good idea. The chemicals and additives in plastic, which are not especially stable, are released when plastic is heated and can leach into food and drink. Fatty foods and plastic are the worst combination of all because the chemicals in plastic are more soluble in fat, so they leach greater amounts of those chemicals into fatty foods.
2. USE LESS PLASTIC CLING WRAP.
Plastic wrap is a mainstay in kitchen everywhere, though its clingy convenience comes at quite a cost. Most plastic wraps are made with the worst kind of plastics (PVC and its cousins), which are laden with softening chemicals like phthalates and plasticizers that are believed to readily migrate into foods. Please, for your sake, never put plastic wrap in the microwave – try covering food with a glass or ceramic lid or plate, unbleached wax, parchment paper or a paper towel instead.
Reusable glass containers with lids and unbleached parchment paper are great, greener alternatives for storing food.
3. TOSS OUT OLD, SCRATCHED PLASTIC CONTAINERS.
Plastic containers that are scratched and cracked leach more unwanted chemicals into food and drinks than new containers do, Any plastic that is worse for the wear should not be used for foods. As plastic containers wear out, replace them with glass containers with lids for long-lasting, safer food storage. Unfortunately, many plastic containers can’t be recycled, but they can be repurposed for organizing stuff in drawers, closets, and offices or used as gardening tools.
4. GO FOR GLASS CONTAINERS.
For food storage, glass containers are the safest, greenest, most long-lasting way to go. They come in all shapes and sizes, and with tight-fitting lids for all of the convenience and non of the concern. A n eco-bonus is that glass containers can last for decades, and even if they suffer an untimely demise, they can be recycled with the glass bottles.
5. RETHINK PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES
Plastic water bottles are the bane of eco-green living, and they’re pretty impossible to avoid. The reality is that we require fluids to live and we need something to carry it them in. Plastic bottles have been the standard up until recently, but glass and stainless steel water bottles are great, green options that will let you avoid ingesting the chemicals that migrate from plastic and contributing to the 30 million plastic water bottles disposed of every day in the U.S.


To learn more about Safer Plastics and so much more, check out Easy Green Living: the ultimate guide to simple, eco-friendly choices for you and your home by Renée Loux

Happy Friday = Happy Hour

Look at this yummy drink!

I can't wait to try it. It's called a Ciroc Chic. The fresh blend of pomegranate and pineapple juices with crisp Cîroc vodka is an excellent choice for girls' night. Up the ante by garnishing this chic cocktail with edible flowers, such as pansies or violets.

Here is the recipe thanks to www.thebar.com.



Ingredients
U.S. Metric Conversion chart

* 1 1/2 ounce(s) Cîroc Vodka
* 1 1/2 ounce(s) pomegranate juice
* 1 ounce(s) pineapple juice
* 1 slice(s) pineapple, or edible flowers

Directions

1. Add Cîroc Vodka, pomegranate juice, and pineapple juice.
2. Shake with ice and strain into a prechilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with a pineapple slice or edible flowers.

Find 9 more perfect summer drinks at the Delish website by clicking here.

Better Chicken Conditions....

I know chickens aren't high on the totem pole, but I still think they deserve better conditions. I'm glad to see California become the first cage-free egg state.

According to planet green, that means..."Governor Schwarzenegger brought some good news to the state's chickens yesterday by signing legislation requiring that all whole eggs sold in California come from hens that are able to stand up, extend their limbs, and spread their wings without touching either one another or the sides of the cage."


Read the full article here.

Mini Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

OH YUMMM. Summer is in full effect now and ice cream is just the right treat to cool us down. Martha Stewart has a great recipe for mini ice cream sandwiches. I like the small ones better for the kids and myself. Click here to connect to Marthas site for the recipe and 60 other perfect summer desserts!