17 hours ago
Last weekend my baby turned ONE year old! We threw a little party for him on Sunday, just for close family and friends.
I'm not sure what made me decide on a rubber duck theme - it just came to my mind one day and seemed perfect. It turned out to be a really good choice, because it is so easy to make rubber ducky-themed decorations and food!
I'm not sure what made me decide on a rubber duck theme - it just came to my mind one day and seemed perfect. It turned out to be a really good choice, because it is so easy to make rubber ducky-themed decorations and food!
Here are all the details:
Food
-Rubber Ducky Cake. My sister is into cake decorating, and she made this adorable cake for Clyde's party! I thought it turned out perfectly, and it really was the centerpiece for the theme/decorations!
-Smash cake. Also my sister. It was the cutest little cake!
-Pudding cups. I just bought clear plastic cups, made six boxes of Jello pudding, and dyed them blue, then stuck a rubber duck on top.
-Cookies. I used Pillsbury's Blue Raspberry cookie mix and frosting, which I bought at Walmart. Then I burned an entire batch, so I made my own blue raspberry jello cookies using this recipe.
-Punch. I mixed one bottle of Welch's Chillers Blue Raspberry drink with two bottles of lemon-lime pop. I added a packet of blue raspberry Koolaid mix, just to intensify the color. Then I three some rubber duckies in on top!
-Popcorn. I used blue raspberry jello and this recipe to make the jello popcorn.
-Sandwiches. Just tuna fish, cut with a rubber ducky cookie cutter.
Decorations
-Picture banner. I printed out the monthly pictures of Clyde that I have been taking and hung them with baker's twine and mini clothespins.
-Rubber duck banner. I used scrapbook paper and the rubber ducky cookie cutter as a stencil.
-Chalkboard. Made at one of our MOPS meetings this year! It even matched my color scheme.
-Paper fans, balloons, streamers. Bought them on Amazon - they have so many color choices!
Other Details
-Water bottles. I used scrapbook paper and washi tape to match them to the party color scheme.
-Bow tie. I made that bow tie for Clyde, and I also made a matching bow tie for Wyatt and hair bow for Gwen. They turned out so cute! There are whales on them, not ducks, but it matched the colors (and whales…water…ducks - it works right?).
-Ten Little Rubber Ducks book. This is the book on which I based our party color scheme (royal blue, teal, yellow). I got a copy for Clyde and had all our party guests write birthday messages inside!
I am really happy that the rubber ducky theme randomly came to mind, because it was simple and easy to pull off! It took a little while to make the food, but that was the hardest part - the decorations came together really easily. This was an inexpensive theme to work with, and it turned out really cute!
If you want to share, here is the pinnable image! For more inexpensive party ideas you can check out my group Pinterest board "Great Party Ideas" (or comment if you are interested in contributing to it!).
For more family pictures at the party, check out my photo blog (or subscribe to my newsletter - I'll send out links)!
Every now and then I like to read books on photography. Even though I am not a professional photographer, I do like to get good shots of my kids whenever I can, and when I read photography books I am more inspired to take pictures of the kids and try new things.
Capture The Moment is written by the CEO of Clickin Moms, Sarah Wilkerson. Each chapter is on a different aspect of photography, and each page is filled with gorgeous photos accompanied by photography tips. This book covers natural light, composition, story-telling, fine art, black and white, and low light photography.
I loved this book, and I think it has great inspiration to improve your photography, particularly portrait or lifestyle photography. I loved all the tips, and though I already knew some of the information presented, I learned a lot of new things as well. I especially liked the focus on how the photographer can change the mood of their photos by adjusting lighting, white balance, items that are within the frame, etc.
This book not only gave practical/technical tips, but it gave a lot of ideas for encouraging you to be creative and try new things with your photos. I liked the challenges at the end of each chapter, ideas for activities to help you experiment with style. I thought the tips and exercises would be helpful for beginners or for more experienced photographers. You should probably have a DSLR camera to get the most out of this book, but if you just have a point-and-shoot- or phone camera and are looking for composition ideas, this book is full of them.
If you are a mom (like me) who just likes to play around with photographing your kids, this book is perfect to get you thinking outside the box! Check it out!
Note: I received a copy of this book for free front he publisher in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
You know how at baseball games, they play a song for each baseball player as they go up to bat? The songs the players pick for themselves? Usually they are some intense song that is supposed to say something about who the player is.
When Derek and I went to our first baseball game together, he told me that if he was a baseball player, his song would be "The Rubber Ducky Song".
You know, "Rubber Ducky, you're the one! You make bath time, so much fun!"
He'd rather make people laugh than try to be some big, tough guy. I kind of love that about him.
But what were we talking about? Rubber duckies. Somehow, when I thought of Clyde's first birthday, rubber duckies kept coming to mind. And when I was working on Clyde's first birthday invitations, the rubber ducky song was playing through my head.
Excuse the long intro, but if you don't know Derek, or don't know the "Rubber Ducky" song, you wouldn't get these invitations.
I've made almost all of our party invitations myself, and today I wanted to share a simple little tutorial for these first birthday invitations.
Materials:
Blank notecards
Coordinating scrapbook paper (about 1 sheet per 15 invitations)
Word processing program and printer
Washi tape
Modge Podge
1. To start, I created a document with all of our party information on it. I created mine in Photoshop Elements, so I could add the stripe border, but you could also do this in a regular word processor program. For this invite I used the fonts Return To Sender, KG Somebody That I Used To Know, and Notera.
2. Print the party invite papers, and also a paper with the number "1" in a large font (I used Allstar font in 244 pt).
3. Cut out the number "1", and trace it onto your scrapbook paper. Cut it out, and repeat for your number of invitations. Cut out the party invitation information into rectangles that will fit inside your notecards.
4. Tape the information to the inside of each card with wash tape.
5. Use the Modge Podge to glue the numbers onto the outside of your cards. Cover with a thin layer of Modge Podge to seal (it will dry clear, but use matte Modge Podge so there isn't an obvious shine).
And you're done! I have a terrible time finding party invitations that go with the themes that I pick, and if I do, they are often expensive. I love making my own invitations because it is easy to really personalize them to my own party theme!
Ideas for making invitations that will match your theme seamlessly?
1. Think about the colors you will be using for the party, and incorporate them into your invitations.
2. Add wording to go with your party theme. If you are using a specific theme, it's nice to give your guests a heads up of what to expect!
3. Add cutouts or confetti to the inside of your invitations that will match your colors or theme. I was thinking of adding little rubber ducky cutouts to the inside of these invites, but I ran out of time.
4. Finish them off well - add a strip of washi tape, a sticker or envelope seal, or a little hand-drawing to the back of your invitations before you drop them in the mail!
Have you ever made your own party invitations? I'd love to hear how you went about it!
Check back soon to see how Clyde's rubber ducky first birthday party turns out!
When Derek and I went to our first baseball game together, he told me that if he was a baseball player, his song would be "The Rubber Ducky Song".
You know, "Rubber Ducky, you're the one! You make bath time, so much fun!"
He'd rather make people laugh than try to be some big, tough guy. I kind of love that about him.
But what were we talking about? Rubber duckies. Somehow, when I thought of Clyde's first birthday, rubber duckies kept coming to mind. And when I was working on Clyde's first birthday invitations, the rubber ducky song was playing through my head.
Excuse the long intro, but if you don't know Derek, or don't know the "Rubber Ducky" song, you wouldn't get these invitations.
I've made almost all of our party invitations myself, and today I wanted to share a simple little tutorial for these first birthday invitations.
Blank notecards
Coordinating scrapbook paper (about 1 sheet per 15 invitations)
Word processing program and printer
Washi tape
Modge Podge
1. To start, I created a document with all of our party information on it. I created mine in Photoshop Elements, so I could add the stripe border, but you could also do this in a regular word processor program. For this invite I used the fonts Return To Sender, KG Somebody That I Used To Know, and Notera.
2. Print the party invite papers, and also a paper with the number "1" in a large font (I used Allstar font in 244 pt).
3. Cut out the number "1", and trace it onto your scrapbook paper. Cut it out, and repeat for your number of invitations. Cut out the party invitation information into rectangles that will fit inside your notecards.
4. Tape the information to the inside of each card with wash tape.
5. Use the Modge Podge to glue the numbers onto the outside of your cards. Cover with a thin layer of Modge Podge to seal (it will dry clear, but use matte Modge Podge so there isn't an obvious shine).
And you're done! I have a terrible time finding party invitations that go with the themes that I pick, and if I do, they are often expensive. I love making my own invitations because it is easy to really personalize them to my own party theme!
Ideas for making invitations that will match your theme seamlessly?
1. Think about the colors you will be using for the party, and incorporate them into your invitations.
2. Add wording to go with your party theme. If you are using a specific theme, it's nice to give your guests a heads up of what to expect!
3. Add cutouts or confetti to the inside of your invitations that will match your colors or theme. I was thinking of adding little rubber ducky cutouts to the inside of these invites, but I ran out of time.
4. Finish them off well - add a strip of washi tape, a sticker or envelope seal, or a little hand-drawing to the back of your invitations before you drop them in the mail!
Have you ever made your own party invitations? I'd love to hear how you went about it!
Check back soon to see how Clyde's rubber ducky first birthday party turns out!
I woke up, blurry-eyed, and snuck quietly into the living room to do my morning devotions before the kids woke up. But before I started I shot off a quick text, apologizing to Derek for the night before. I had gotten angry at him for something, and yes, I'm admitting right now that we don't always resolve arguments before we go to bed. This case is a good example why - they night before I was furious, and felt perfectly justified in my anger. When the morning came, I realized what a "contentious women" I was really being (and if you've ever read Proverbs, you know that is not a good thing).
Appropriately, after reading the day's passage in the Bible, I opened up Matthew Henry's Commentary, and this is what I read:
"The way to be angry, and not to sin, is to be angry, as Christ was, at nothing but sin."
-Matthew Henry
Initially my reaction was one of ugly self-righteousness and trying to justify my own actions (even though I had already recognized that I was wrong - just being honest here, guys). Could it be righteous anger then, to be angry when someone has sinned against you?
But immediately this verse ran through my mind:
"For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
And I realized what a hypocritical attitude I had, to direct anger at someone else's (supposed) sin against me, and completely forget the blackness in my own heart.
The only way to really be safe in righteous anger at sin is to be more angry at your own sin than anything else.
The example of righteous anger that is always cited is when Jesus become angry because of the money tables in the temple. And Jesus did have righteous anger at the cheating and lying that was going on, but there is a big difference between Jesus and me - Jesus has no sin of His own. He had a pure right to be angry. I, on the other hand, have a heart full of sin - and if I am going to claim to have righteous anger, it needs to be directed at my own sin first.
And today, of all days, it is easier to be angry at my own sin. Because today, thousands of years ago, Jesus suffered unspeakable things to pay for it.
Justice is a big talking point among Christians these days, and people mean so many different things by it. But if we are going to talk about justice, let's apply it to everything. What would be just here, really? God could have chosen to be angry with us forever, to give us our punishment, and He would have been just in doing so. But instead Jesus, our righteous Judge, took our punishment Himself. That is the most unjust thing that ever happened, but He did it because He loves us, and He continually offers us every chance at His forgiveness.
When we accept and believe what Jesus did for us on the cross, there is no more anger there, though we continue to do things to deserve it - but Jesus took all that anger on Himself. Now, for the one who trusts in Him, there is only love, and mercy, and grace. I am so grateful for what He has done for me, even though I constantly prove I am unworthy of having the King of the universe die for me (see example above).
And I love that it doesn't end with death. Death and sin did not defeat Jesus - He defeated them once and for all when He rose from the dead on Easter morning!
"One day the grave could conceal Him no longer
One day the stone rolled away from the door
Then He arose, over death He had conquered
Now is ascended, my Lord evermore!"
-One Day, J. Wilbur Chapman
He is risen, and He is coming back someday to take His own home!
Are you one of His too?
I hope and pray each of you reading this can know the mercy, and grace, and victory that is only found in accepting who Jesus is, and what He has done for us!
Happy Resurrection Day (on Sunday), my Friends!
He is risen indeed!
I'm on Tommy Nelson and FaithGateway today, talking about how to make your child's first Bible meaningful - and including my own story of how my parents and grandparents made my first Bible meaningful.
"My children are pre-school aged. They can’t even read simple books yet, so it will be a little while before they will be able to read the Bible by themselves. Nevertheless, I have been thinking about the day that they are ready to pick out their first Bibles, and how I want to go about it.
When I think of my first Bible growing up, the one that always comes to mind is a thick, leather-bound book, with my name embossed on the front and childlike letters written inside the front cover. When I was about nine years old, my grandma gave a challenge to all her grandkids – memorize Psalm 91 – and she would buy us our own Bibles with our names on the front, and take us to a fancy Japanese restaurant for dinner…"
Head on over to Tommy Nelson to continue reading!
When did you get your first Bible? Did your parents (if they gave it to you) do anything to make it special?
This afternoon treat idea and recipe is brought to you as part of a compensated opportunity by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #KreateMyHappy #CollectiveBias
Naptime. As a mom of young children, I know that whether I use the time to check things off my to-do list, or relax and enjoy a fun snack, it is the one time of day when I can do something (anything) uninterrupted.
Don't get me wrong, I love hanging out with my kiddos! They are ask much fun to be around, and I love watching them play or learn new things. I can't even get too annoyed when they are wanting my attention, because I love that they do want my attention - I love that as a parent I am the most important person in their lives, the person they can count on, the one they want to share all their precious little news with first. I love being that person. I love being their mom.
But it is also nice to have a little time in the afternoons to just regather my energy for the rest of the day. My mom once told me that she wanted to cry when I told her I was done with nap time, and now I understand why! I am pretty lucky that my kids all nap at the same time (I'm pretty sure my luck will run out by the time Baby #4 gets here), but even when Wyatt doesn't nap, I have instituted "quiet time", which is a time for him to play in his room - quietly! Because sometimes moms still need a little chance to re-couperate in the afternoon.
I used to try to squeeze everything possible into my limited nap time window, but with the fatigue that comes with being pregnant, lately I've been mostly using nap time to just rest, and maybe enjoy a snack. So today, I want to share one of my most recent snack creations!
I am calling these Smothered Rice Krispies Treats. I recommend buying the packaged Rice Krispies treats, because they make this recipe a lot quicker and easier! I found mine at King Soopers.
Smothered Rice Krispies Treats
2 Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats squares
1/4 c. Milk Chocolate M&M's
1/4 c. Peanut Butter M&M's
1/2 c. Jet Puffed miniature marshmallows
1 tbsp. peanut butter
1 tbsp. Strawberry preserves
1/4 c. chocolate chips
Servings: 2
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit.
2. Unwrap the Rice Krispies Treats, and place them onto an oven-safe plate.
3. Spread either peanut butter or strawberry preserves over the top of your Rice Krispies Treats. Add a layer of M&M's on top of each Rice Krispies Treat. I used Peanut Butter M&M's for the Treat with peanut butter, and Milk Chocolate M&M's for the Treat with strawberry preserves.
4. Add a layer of marshmallows over the top of the M&M's. Put Rice Krispies Treats into the oven for 5 minutes, or until the marshmallows start looking toasted.
5. In the meantime, put the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate chips in the microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and repeating the 20 seconds until they are completely melted.
6. Once the marshmallows on top of your Rice Krispies Treats look toasted, remove them from the oven, and immediately drizzle the melted chocolate chips over the top of the Treats. Enjoy your Smothered Rice Krispies Treats while they are still warm!
One of the reasons I liked this invention was because they are so easy and quick to make, but they taste decadent! The peanut butter chocolate version is so gooey and good, and the one with preserves tastes like a chocolate covered strawberry. I let Derek have a taste after I made one for myself, and he asked me to make one for him later too! They are perfect for nap time because of how little time they take to prepare - and because if you have them during naptime, you don't have to share!
You can also visit Kellogg's website for more Rice Krispies Treat ideas - you can also vote for your favorite recipe as part of a contest they are hosting - and there is a chance for you to win prizes - just by tweeting, pinning, or Instagramming your vote with the hashtag #RKTreatSweeps and sending a link to RKTreatSweeps@Kellogg.com. Check out the website for more details!
What do you like to do during your kids' naptime?
Naptime. As a mom of young children, I know that whether I use the time to check things off my to-do list, or relax and enjoy a fun snack, it is the one time of day when I can do something (anything) uninterrupted.
Don't get me wrong, I love hanging out with my kiddos! They are ask much fun to be around, and I love watching them play or learn new things. I can't even get too annoyed when they are wanting my attention, because I love that they do want my attention - I love that as a parent I am the most important person in their lives, the person they can count on, the one they want to share all their precious little news with first. I love being that person. I love being their mom.
But it is also nice to have a little time in the afternoons to just regather my energy for the rest of the day. My mom once told me that she wanted to cry when I told her I was done with nap time, and now I understand why! I am pretty lucky that my kids all nap at the same time (I'm pretty sure my luck will run out by the time Baby #4 gets here), but even when Wyatt doesn't nap, I have instituted "quiet time", which is a time for him to play in his room - quietly! Because sometimes moms still need a little chance to re-couperate in the afternoon.
I used to try to squeeze everything possible into my limited nap time window, but with the fatigue that comes with being pregnant, lately I've been mostly using nap time to just rest, and maybe enjoy a snack. So today, I want to share one of my most recent snack creations!
I am calling these Smothered Rice Krispies Treats. I recommend buying the packaged Rice Krispies treats, because they make this recipe a lot quicker and easier! I found mine at King Soopers.
Smothered Rice Krispies Treats
2 Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats squares
1/4 c. Milk Chocolate M&M's
1/4 c. Peanut Butter M&M's
1/2 c. Jet Puffed miniature marshmallows
1 tbsp. peanut butter
1 tbsp. Strawberry preserves
1/4 c. chocolate chips
Servings: 2
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Farhenheit.
2. Unwrap the Rice Krispies Treats, and place them onto an oven-safe plate.
3. Spread either peanut butter or strawberry preserves over the top of your Rice Krispies Treats. Add a layer of M&M's on top of each Rice Krispies Treat. I used Peanut Butter M&M's for the Treat with peanut butter, and Milk Chocolate M&M's for the Treat with strawberry preserves.
4. Add a layer of marshmallows over the top of the M&M's. Put Rice Krispies Treats into the oven for 5 minutes, or until the marshmallows start looking toasted.
5. In the meantime, put the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate chips in the microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and repeating the 20 seconds until they are completely melted.
6. Once the marshmallows on top of your Rice Krispies Treats look toasted, remove them from the oven, and immediately drizzle the melted chocolate chips over the top of the Treats. Enjoy your Smothered Rice Krispies Treats while they are still warm!
One of the reasons I liked this invention was because they are so easy and quick to make, but they taste decadent! The peanut butter chocolate version is so gooey and good, and the one with preserves tastes like a chocolate covered strawberry. I let Derek have a taste after I made one for myself, and he asked me to make one for him later too! They are perfect for nap time because of how little time they take to prepare - and because if you have them during naptime, you don't have to share!
You can also visit Kellogg's website for more Rice Krispies Treat ideas - you can also vote for your favorite recipe as part of a contest they are hosting - and there is a chance for you to win prizes - just by tweeting, pinning, or Instagramming your vote with the hashtag #RKTreatSweeps and sending a link to RKTreatSweeps@Kellogg.com. Check out the website for more details!
What do you like to do during your kids' naptime?
Note: Excuse all the words interrupted by dots in this post - I just don't want certain search terms linked to my blog.
I think I first heard of "Fifty Shades Of Grey" two and a half years ago, when a fellow blogger mentioned that it was on her to-read list. I really had no idea what it was, but I quickly learned enough to decide it wasn't a good thing and avoid it. Only later did I realize just what exactly is in this book, and the damaging effects this type of "literature" is having on women and the culture.
I have not read "Fifty Shades Of Grey", and I will not see the movie. I don't think I have to read it to have an intelligent conversation about it. But I know enough to be deeply concerned. From what I can tell, this book (and/or movie) is full of abuse, even ra.pe, and it is somehow wrapped up in a romantic package. I don't care if there is some sort of "redemption" at the end, romanticizing and promoting abusive se.xual relationships is not okay.
I like to be informed on cultural issues. I don't think Christians should bury their heads in the sand about anything, we should be able to address issues and defend the biblical perspective. For that reason I picked up a copy "Pulling Back The Shades: Erotica, Intimacy, And The Longings Of A Woman's Heart" by Dannah Gresh and Dr. Juli Slattery (who used to be a co-host of the Focus On The Family Radio broadcast). In this book, Gresh and Slattery address this genre of literature, why it is appealing to women, why it is ultimately harmful to women, and how we can and should address this issue as Christian women.
I got so much out of this book, even though I have never read ero.tica. This book challenges you to look at your own heart and s.ex life to see if there is anything that is preventing you from reaching true intimacy, and I appreciated a lot of what it had to say. I have always felt a little wary about even some Christian romance novels when I feel they are getting a bit too descriptive, or TV shows that focus too much on s.ex - because I know the effect that can have on me, and I know it's slippery slope. This book challenged me to keep a vigilant eye on what kind of things I allow into my mind, and it was encouraging to realize that I am not being a prude by limiting what I watch and read. I just want my se.xual excitement to come from my husband alone - that is God's plan and ultimately it will make our s.ex life healthier!
This book also gave a lot of talking points and food for thought on why ero.tica is harmful, and I think it was really good information for me to have, even though I've never read it. I think it would be that much more helpful to someone who is currently struggling with an interest (or addiction) to ero.tica.
And I just want to say, lest anyone think this book was a big list of "don't's", that ultimately this book had themes of hope and freedom. Hope to overcome se.xual addictions, and a hopeful message of the kind of freedom and pleasure that is available when women are brave and strong enough to stick to God's plan. Whether or not you have read "Fifty Shades", "Pulling Back The Shades" is worth a read.
Note: I received copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
I think I first heard of "Fifty Shades Of Grey" two and a half years ago, when a fellow blogger mentioned that it was on her to-read list. I really had no idea what it was, but I quickly learned enough to decide it wasn't a good thing and avoid it. Only later did I realize just what exactly is in this book, and the damaging effects this type of "literature" is having on women and the culture.
I have not read "Fifty Shades Of Grey", and I will not see the movie. I don't think I have to read it to have an intelligent conversation about it. But I know enough to be deeply concerned. From what I can tell, this book (and/or movie) is full of abuse, even ra.pe, and it is somehow wrapped up in a romantic package. I don't care if there is some sort of "redemption" at the end, romanticizing and promoting abusive se.xual relationships is not okay.
I like to be informed on cultural issues. I don't think Christians should bury their heads in the sand about anything, we should be able to address issues and defend the biblical perspective. For that reason I picked up a copy "Pulling Back The Shades: Erotica, Intimacy, And The Longings Of A Woman's Heart" by Dannah Gresh and Dr. Juli Slattery (who used to be a co-host of the Focus On The Family Radio broadcast). In this book, Gresh and Slattery address this genre of literature, why it is appealing to women, why it is ultimately harmful to women, and how we can and should address this issue as Christian women.
I got so much out of this book, even though I have never read ero.tica. This book challenges you to look at your own heart and s.ex life to see if there is anything that is preventing you from reaching true intimacy, and I appreciated a lot of what it had to say. I have always felt a little wary about even some Christian romance novels when I feel they are getting a bit too descriptive, or TV shows that focus too much on s.ex - because I know the effect that can have on me, and I know it's slippery slope. This book challenged me to keep a vigilant eye on what kind of things I allow into my mind, and it was encouraging to realize that I am not being a prude by limiting what I watch and read. I just want my se.xual excitement to come from my husband alone - that is God's plan and ultimately it will make our s.ex life healthier!
This book also gave a lot of talking points and food for thought on why ero.tica is harmful, and I think it was really good information for me to have, even though I've never read it. I think it would be that much more helpful to someone who is currently struggling with an interest (or addiction) to ero.tica.
And I just want to say, lest anyone think this book was a big list of "don't's", that ultimately this book had themes of hope and freedom. Hope to overcome se.xual addictions, and a hopeful message of the kind of freedom and pleasure that is available when women are brave and strong enough to stick to God's plan. Whether or not you have read "Fifty Shades", "Pulling Back The Shades" is worth a read.
Note: I received copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for this review. This is my honest opinion.
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