Not Before Coffee

Think you need to be rich to throw a great children’s party? Think again! A rich imagination is all you need to thrill kids with a party they will always remember.

For several years, Pam and Ed Dart of Spectacular Catering from Placentia, California have staged barbecues that corporations line up for. Want to know one of their secrets? Staging. This transforms a simple party into an event. Creating an atmosphere that sparks the imagination and enthusiasm of children is easy if you apply the following tricks of the trade.

Create Excitement Right From the Start

Your party starts with a great invitation. Planning a detective birthday party? Send a note with “Help me!” scrawled on the front of a torn piece of notepad paper. On the other side, write, “Celebrate my birthday. Find me at…” Include all the party particulars as part of a coded message.

Plan a Movie Set

The environment you create is central to the success of your party. Imagine being invited to a dinosaur party and arriving to find a steaming, foggy jungle at the entrance. This is easy to do.

1. Start with a few houseplants.

1. Add a silk tree or two.

1. Rent a fog machine.

If you can’t rent a fog machine, create the same effect using a bucket of water and a block of dry ice. Place the bucket behind a shrub and blow the icy mist with a small fan.

Search the Internet for dinosaur sound files and play them in the background. Your guests will be enthralled as they travel back in time to the age of the dinosaurs.

Keep Them Busy

Plan party activities around the party theme. A pirate party screams for a treasure hunt. Make a course the kids will remember.

1. Reverse engineer your route. Start at the end and make your way back home.

1. Add a “dead man’s bones” stop. Make this clue stop a screamer by wrapping a distressed pant leg around a clean, dry chicken leg bone. Bury the pants with just a bit of hem and the leg bone emerging from the soil.

1. Make the map part of the fun by creating intriguing clues, embellishing it with swirling fonts and pictorial hints. S. E. Overmyer, a graphic artist and owner of Kitty and Nevermore, suggests downloading free fonts from online sources to add a realistic charm to the map.
2. Stain the maps with a strong tea solution, slightly burn torn edges, and add a drop of cooking oil here and there for a truly authentic-looking treasure map.

Fun With the Food

Don’t serve burgers and beans on a paper plate at your party.

• Use old or disposable aluminum pie pans for plates and serve drinks in mason jars for a cowboy theme.

• Make a volcano cake with flowing lava frosting or a dinosaur-shaped layer cake.
• Move beyond JELL-O brains and spaghetti guts at your mad scientist party by serving real food in beakers and test tubes.

Your rich imagination can create party effects that will make unforgettable memories for the kids that attend. Choose a theme and let your creative juices flow.

Image Credits: 1, 2, 3.

Jessy is a stay-at-home mom and family blogger for Dobovo, the family-friendly accommodation resource of Kiev apartments on a budget.

Today when my son Coty came home from school, he handed me an envelope he’d been given by one of his teachers. Coty and I sat on the front step as I began to read over the contents. I’d barely gotten into the first couple of paragraphs that read:

Yes, congratulations certainly are in order… because The USAA has been informed that Coty has been given the unusual honor of recognition as a national honor student.

Because only a relative handful of students anywhere in the United States qualify for this honor…

At that point my vision blurred with tears and a lump formed in my throat – I had to continue reading later.

I’ve ALWAYS been extremely proud of my boys, but as a twin mom, there are those times when one requires just a little bit more pride. A moment of De-ja-vu came over me as I recalled the day Trey was chosen to All Stars in Little League, and Coty was left behind.

Today, it was Coty’s turn to edge in on his larger dose of parent pride.

A teacher took their valuable time to nominate Coty for a national honor student recognition award. Students are nominated based on two of the following criteria:

• 3.0 minimum in a specific subject
• Academic Performance
• Personal motivation
• Cooperative classroom attitude
• Dependability
• Enthusiasm for education
• Leadership qualities
• Serious acceptance of responsibility

I know every parent is proud of their kids, but what makes this so extraordinary is how far Coty has come.

Coty was held back in 1st grade while his twin brother advanced. It was a painful decision, and a choice I never thought I’d be forgiven of.

Last Spring Coty worked with his school counselor, devising a plan that would advance him to graduate along with his twin, Trey.

Since switching schools for the 2010-2011 school years, both boys have made monumental advancements in their academic status.

The details below are from the honors website:

The United States Achievement Academy, located in Lexington, Ky, was founded in 1978; to recognize America’s outstanding students to provide scholarship opportunities for all participants.

USAA has awarded over $1,400,000 in educational cash grants.

More than 1 million educators from the United States and its territories have nominated students for the Academy’s honor programs.

Students, who have demonstrated outstanding achievement; marked improvement or a commitment to academic success; are nominated by the educator. Students become members of the Academy through teacher nominations or their school’s honor roll. All nominations are honored by USAA with the belief that educators know their students best.

I absolutely, positively, undeniably… could. not. be. more. proud.

I love. love. love my boys SO much! They have given me SO much to live for, so much to be thankful for and because of them, I always want to be a better person.

In today’s world, it is important to be as economical as possible.  Anytime you travel, you need to find things to cut in order to save a few bucks.  However, many families feel that taking a vacation is still important, because vacations provide an opportunity to spend quality time together and traveling to foreign countries is such an educational experience for children.  It IS possible to take an affordable vacation that will not put you in a financial bind though. If you are going on a trip soon, here are the top ten ways to save money on this excursion!

1. Be Flexible
Many airlines offer lower fares if you travel within a certain time frame.  If you fly during the off-peak hours or dates, you can get a cheaper airfare.  You might need to fly in the middle of the night or during the middle of the week.  You could also take a flight with a couple of stops along the way.  You just need to be flexible, and you can save money. Also, fly to bigger airports and consider traveling over land to a nearby location, if you need to get there.

2. Compare Prices
So many companies offer airfare, hotels, car rentals and any other thing that you need while traveling.  Look for discounts and compare prices.  You can save money just by shopping around for the best deals available.

3. Take an All-Inclusive Vacation
All-inclusive vacation packages include the hotel, dining and some of the entertainment.  Cruises are normally all-inclusive, or you could find a resort.  Airline tickets are not included in the package, so you will need to purchase those separately.

4. Travel by Car
Another way to help your budget is to travel by car instead of an airplane.  You can still take a fabulous vacation within driving distance. You could also save time and stress by avoiding airports because security is tight, and traveling by plane is becoming a hassle.

5. Visit Free Attractions
Most cities have numerous attractions that are completely free.  You can visit parks, some museums and neighborhoods for free.   The beach is usually free too. Before you take the vacation, search online to see which attractions offer free admission.

6. Ask Around
You can save on entertainment just by asking for possible discounts.  Some attractions offer student discounts, military discounts, senior citizens discounts and much more.  You could even receive a discount for paying cash instead of using a credit card.  Before you venture out into the city, look online for places that offer deals. If you’re in Europe, this will DEFINITELY pay off.

7. Pack Light
It seems like airlines keep finding ways to charge fees.  You are now being charged for each bag that you check in at the airport.  If you can pack light enough to carry on your bags, you will save money.  If that is not possible, make sure you pack light enough to get all of your belongings in one bag.

8. Credit Card Miles
If you have built up credit card miles or frequent flyer miles, you could save a significant amount of money on hotels or airfare.  Therefore, make sure you check with your credit card company to see if you have enough miles to cash in.

9. Save on Dining
If you stay in a hotel that has a kitchen, you could cook your own meals, which would save you money.  If you do eat out, research the restaurants in the area.  You can find many excellent dining facilities that are affordable.

10. Public Transit
Buses and subways are cheaper that taxis.  You also could get to your destination with your own two feet.  Trains are cheaper than flights or renting a car. You should look for hotels that are close to major attractions, and then you can walk!! In many countries, renting a bike is common, cheap and atmospheric (Denmark, anyone?).

Jeanie White likes to save money by visiting websites like www.creditreport.org.

Marriage is hard. Subsequent marriages are even tougher. If you believe anything different, you’re setting yourself up for a huge letdown. Believe me, I’ve spent my entire life wanting the kind of love I thought my grandparents had. I’ve spent most of my life dreaming of finding my own fairytale – of becoming the one he couldn’t live without.

Does. Not. Happen!

Disney, Chick Flicks and television commercials feed misconceptions on what love, relationships and marriage actually are.  Marriage is not wine and roses. Marriage is not romance served fresh 24/7. Marriage does not make you feel that natural high feeling you get when you’re falling in love on a continual basis.

Marriage is a partnership, a business between two partners with a different kind of benefits.

Divorces, adultery, and these media manipulated misconceptions, are infecting, plaguing and destroying marriage and the products of those marriages.

Divorces are easy. In today’s world, like the video says “It’s no longer about the “til death do us part” – it means “until the feelings go away.” Believe me, I know! I’ve become a pro at running away when my feelings are gone. My problem has been choosing the wrong partners. I’d find myself in relationships or marriage with men who weren’t capable of being loyal or monogamous. I’d try with all my might to fix the marriage, to fix the person, but in the end, they weren’t mind to fix.

That’s why it’s so important to be friends and take ample amount of time to get to know someone before getting married. It’s not enough to know them in the real world for years, you have to know them as they are within a committed relationship to really understand how they would be in a marriage.

The road to love and marriage may seem long when trying to get there, but take it from an old pro, being trapped in a dying marriage filled with disrespect, lack of trust and remorse feels like eternity.

This video was created to highlight the most frequent and problem issues marriages face today while also pointing to Jesus as the ultimate healer, redeemer, and restorer of every marriage.

Whether single or married, watch this video for a deeper look for inspiration. This is a great place to start on helping your current marriage, or prepare you for marriage.

Have a comment or opinion? I’d love to hear it!

While visiting one of my favorite, social hangouts earlier today, I came across the question: Why do conservatives think they own Christianity?

I’ve wondered that sometimes myself – although my version isn’t painted with such a wide brush. No one should categorize “all conservatives” or “all Christians” in to such small boxes.

I thought about the question for a bit… my thoughts are:

I’ve often joked, calling myself an "extreme moderate" because I easily fit, quite definitively into each side, with staunch beliefs, easily defined by either sides.

When it comes to politics, I do try to leave my religion out of it.

I don’t think it takes a good Christian to be a good CEO, doctor, fireman, policeman, etc. Why should that factor into a person’s ability to run a country?

Oh, I wouldn’t want a person with a heart filled with hate, or someone who lacks spirituality at all, running the country.

I think having morals, values and beliefs that weigh on the side of goodness, kindness, peacefulness and prosperity are a MUST; whether or not a person is a Christian should not play into whether a person would be a good leader.

I consider myself to be a Christian. God has been very good to me. I have been blessed many times over. My family has experienced miracles that are beyond medical explanation. I believe, in my heart of hearts, God has always provided me with the proof I need to know I’m doing what he would have me do.

I have 2 signs that hang in my house. I appreciate when visitors read them and understand the clear message I wish to convey with them. They do have a purpose!

Sign 1 – Remember How Blessed You Are (I don’t need anyone force-feeding their beliefs on me to make sure I make it to the front of the "Been Blessed" line.

Sign 2 – You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips – I believe in leading by example not cramming what I believe down the throats of others.

My Bible commands me to love my neighbors, brothers and sisters – it commands me not to judge – it gives me comfort in letting me know it’s up to me to find my own salvation.

I believe every Christian has their own convictions (that little voice inside that tells you when something is wrong). Aside from the obvious commandments of not killing, stealing, etc. – I believe with all that I am, when a Christian strays from their own convictions, yes it’s wrong and it would be a sin.

I have a relative who thinks wearing jeans, makeup and cutting hair is a sin. I believe it would be, for HER. For me it is not. God did not put that conviction in my heart and I feel no guilt or shame when I throw on a pair of jeans, cut my hair or apply my makeup. That lack of guilt is what tells me I’m good with God!

This relative is quite vocal in letting me know she doesn’t think she’ll see me in Heaven because of this -  I on the other hand told her I’d save her a seat.

There is a HUGE difference between preaching/teaching the gospel and imposing your own set of convictions on others. I think that’s where a lot of Christian’s get confused.

Spreading the gospel is about spreading love, peace and all that is good. Not once, throughout the Bible, do you read of how Jesus force-fed his beliefs to another. He lead a righteous life. He would teach. He would answer questions. He would embrace others. 

Jesus NEVER flew off in a fit of emotional rage, as if to somehow seize control over the mind of another and shift their belief to align perfectly with his.

Have something to add? Leave a comment – I’d love for you to share your thoughts.