A Mom’s Year – Page 47 – Creating a comfortable life one moment at a time

August 3, 2012

Lily’s Birthday Party / “Ice Cream” Balloons and Cake

I’m finally posting photos from Lily’s birthday party! She celebrated turning eight with some of her closest friends, a little swimming, and lots of ice cream.

I stuck with our usual plan for parties, which is to try to come up with a few really fun ideas and then keep everything else very, very simple.

When I saw these “ice cream” balloons I thought they’d be perfect for Lily’s ice cream party. They’re from Martha Stewart, so I should have known they wouldn’t be as simple as they look! It turns out that it takes some finesse to get the cones sized exactly right so they don’t sink the balloons. You can see one that’s beginning to sink, and the party hadn’t even started yet. [Read more…] about Lily’s Birthday Party / “Ice Cream” Balloons and Cake

July 31, 2012

Road Trip Travel Packs from Polkadot Prints

I am seriously bummed for two reasons: 1. Our wonderful friends are on their way home to Atlanta after a fun-filled week and we’re going to miss them. 2. I really wanted to send them on their way with these little Road Trip Travel Packs from Polkadot Prints (via Design Mom). But I just couldn’t pull them together in time.

Next time, though, I’ll be ready.

To make the Road Trip Travel Packs all you need is some white card stock, the free printable, cellophane bags, twist ties, and small treats to put inside the bags (goldfish crackers, small toys, gum, tiny games, candy, etc.). And then you hand out the treat bags whenever the conditions on the tags are met: “When we count 6 RVs” or “Listened to 2 CDs” or “Took a 30-minute nap.”

July 31, 2012

Olympic Fever / My Favorite QUICK Workout

Do you have Olympic Fever at your house? We definitely do. I’m seeing Olympic rings everywhere, even in the craft tape Lily got for her birthday!

When you watch the athletes perform their amazing feats are you inspired to get moving, to push yourself harder?

The thing is, most of us don’t have hours to spend working out even if we wanted to. But I’ve learned that you can get a great workout in a short amount of time if you get a little organized about it.

July 30, 2012

Country of the Week: England / Toad in the Hole

We’re on to England! Which means a week of watching the Olympics for glimpses of castles and cathedrals between events; chuckling over the names of traditional foods like bubble and squeak, jam roly-poly, spotted dick, and bangers and mash; and reading some of our favorite English stories. And I’m sure we’ll fit in at least one Harry Potter movie.

When I was younger I dreamed of living in England. I’m sure all of the books I read by the Brontës and James Herriot and Beatrix Potter and Jane Austen had something to do with it. But I also loved the country’s history, architecture, and traditions. I’m pretty sure that my dreams included marrying an English lord and driving around the countryside wearing Wellies in a battered Land Rover, labrador by my side.

July 30, 2012

Country of the Week: China / Trip to the Market

Have you ever traveled to a place that really got under your skin? So much so that when you got home you found yourself looking for somewhere close by that would help you recapture the experience?

That was definitely the case for me when we returned from China. We’d spent three weeks there when we went to bring Lily home and we all fell in love with our newest family member’s home country. When we got home, I was surprised by how much I missed the people and the sights and the wonderfully calm atmosphere. Not to mention our favorite treat, Pocky, and the little rice cakes that Lily nibbled on constantly.