pirate party

I love making my kids' birthdays special.  It's funny how children get enamored with something for a while.  That's when I try to take mental notes for their birthday parties.

 Last year my son was totally obsessed with Mickey Mouse.   We decided to go to Disney that summer.  While at Magic Kingdom, he went on the Peter Pan ride for the first time.  He absolutely loved it!   Since then, it's been all about Peter Pan, Neverland, and pirates!  He literally dresses up as a pirate everyday.  It's so adorable.  Anyway, here is what I came up with for his party:

ice cream party decor

My "middle little" wanted a ice cream party for her 4th birthday.  I love making decorations, and this time I wanted to keep it cheap and simple.  Have you ever browsed the internet for birthday party ideas and stumbled upon those blogs?  You know, the handmade outfits that match the decor, wooden forks, macaroons, the many glass jars of candy that no one ever eats, custom cupcakes and lollypops and cookies, the miniature milk jars with straws!  Oh, I'm guilty... I bought the "push-up cake pops" that got pushed up and dropped on the ground.  The themed food that I spent hours making that not one child touched, the days I spent looking for the perfect matching cups, plates, cupcake liners and table cloth, only to be completely overlooked by the same dozen of balloons.  I would come up with crafts and games only for them to say, "mom, we just want to play!"  Sure, they appreciated the party, but was all the tedious details really necessary?  All that stress about not finding the perfect sprinkles?  

first post

Why the anxiety?  It's just a blog!  Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain. -Mark Twain  I have wanted to have a "real" blog for so long.  I've started a couple blogs before.  Most of them were for my different businesses... handmade jewelry & baby clothing, and my photography, to generate hits at my stores.  Every once in a while I would feel the urge to just write.  Ah, but it just felt out of place.

For me, writing has been a private thing.  A separate thing.  Something I tucked away and hid.  This is the black book.  I purchased it on a trip to Amsterdam.  It has been my journal for the past 11 years.