DID WE REALLY JUST DO THAT FOR HOMESCHOOL TODAY?

Did we really just do that for

I’m so glad that you came back to visit my blog! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest! For many years I doubted myself on whether or not I was equipping my children, as a homeschooler, with … Continue reading 

My Love for County Fairs & Marietta County Fair Book Series Giveaway

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This post is sponsored by Authors of the Marietta Fair Series. My opinions are 100% my own. You can view my full Disclosure Policy here. Well it’s that time again for so many country folk like me. What you say? … Continue reading 

10 Things I want my Children to Know about Me

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Twelve years ago I stood at my Aunt’s grave. as tears flowed and shadows of uncertainty fall on my momma’s face. I wondered to myself, “Does my momma have regrets?”, “Is there questions she never asked her sister?”, “Are there words she never said?”.   I looked at the grave and back at my momma and I realized those were the same questions I needed to ask myself.

See, as we were burying my Aunt after her loss with cancer, my momma was dying.

She also had cancer and even though at the time I didn’t know how soon it would be, I still knew she would be leaving me soon. Some might say I was being too negative. I say I was preparing my self for the inevitable. I was the baby. I was not ready for my momma to leave. But nothing I said, nothing I did, was going to stop her from dying. If I didn’t prepare myself for her death, it would be her death that would defeat me.
That night, after the funeral, I asked my momma and my three sisters if we could start having mother/daughter outings. Just to spend time together, to connect with each other. So on Friday Nights we all would go out.  Sometimes to eat,  to visit someone or shopping. But mainly to talk and make memories.

I asked a lot of questions.
I wanted to hear stories of her childhood and teenage years.
I wanted to know what it was like when her and my dad married?
Why did they wait til almost 40 to have me?
What was she passionate about?
Did she have any regrets?
We continued this tradition for about six months until the time came when she was too sick to leave the house. Three months later she was gone.
I am so thankful for that opportunity I had to share those moments before it was too late. I have been thinking about that a lot lately. Life is always so busy, moving so fast, that I begin to ponder if I would have an opportunity to share my life with my children. What if tomorrow don’t come for me? Would they know stories from my childhood? Would they know the story about me and their dad? Would they know what I am most passionate about? Would they know that I love them with a love so pure that only a mother can experience?
I really am not so sure. Life becomes stressful, and my days run into nights and it seems to never stop. I decided I didn’t want this moment to pass. If for some reason I never had the chance to talk to them about me, then I wanted to document it for them.
So what do I want my children to know about me?
1) I AM NOT A SUPERHERO! I do not have super powers. I am human. I am not perfect. I am flawed. As a mother I need you to know that I am just a person who makes mistakes daily. Who will always make mistakes. I try my very best when it comes to your life not to make to many messes but I can’t promise it will always be rainbows and butterflies, there will be days of dark clouds and storms but I will love you every day reguardless of the situation.

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2) God will always be #1 in my life. No matter how much I love you, and believe me when I say I love you so much it hurts sometimes, God will ALWAYS be at the center of my life. God entrusted me enough to bless me with you all. He gave me life that will continue long after this chapter ends. There was a time that God was not my center. I was mad and angry, so I ran far away from God. But what I realized is that God gives us free will. He doesn’t control us, he loves us and gives us freedom to come to him, and even through the bad, he never left my side. I need you to always make sure God is #1 in your life as well.

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3) My heart is filled with compassion. Sometimes I feel like my heart is breaking into a million pieces over the sorrow that I feel for children who have lost their parents to addictions, neglect or abuse. Those children who just want to feel love again and a sense of security. The homeless people on the street with no family or warm bed, that for one reason or another has lost their way, from a failed marriage, a job or even an illness and now they are alone and burdened. For the elderly people, who on their face shows years of hardship. From the cotton fields, to the coal mines, farms and factories they have worked their fingers to the bone to supply a roof over their families head and food on the table. Those same people, much like my daddy who would give you the shirt off his back with no questions asked. For the people in the third world countries who never have the opportunity to freely worship Jesus. Who so many will never know the love that he has for them or hear the stories of his miracles.

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4) Animal Rescue burdens my heart. Yes I am an animal lover. And yes I know you make fun of me because I show you a thousand pictures a day of all the dogs who need a home, or the ones who have been adopted. Animal neglect and abuse lays heavily on my heart. And yes if there was a way, I would bring them all home. I know you think I’m silly for supporting so many rescues and shelters but what you probably don’t know is how many tears I have cried knowing an animal has been put down for lack of space at a shelter. How my wish is that all shelters would become NO-KILL, that all animals would have a chance to feel love and be loved. And when it’s my time to go, I would like that instead of flowers being sent, that a donation for an adoption would be made in my memory instead. And that I believe with all my heart that animals are sent to us to help us thru a hard time when we are not willing to let anyone else in.

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5) Children’s Ministry is my passion. I will always be thankful for the wondeful leaders and teachers who saw a raw gift in me and took a chance on helping me grow as a Children’s Leader. And even though I knew after a season in my life, that full-time ministry was not what God had intended for me in our family, I still love to be involved, creating programs, putting ideas and events to life. Being able to be a part of leading a child to Christ will always be worth the sacrafice of serving an extra service or spending an extra day preparing lessons and activities. Use the gifts and talents God has gave you for his good. And if the season your in is not one to use your gifts, continue growing your faith and your walk with God until a new season approaches.

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6) I will never regret Homeschooling you. Being able to teach you about life has been such an incredible blessing. Spending the days beside you as we learn together will be a gift I will always treasure. Watching you each grow into young adults might have been missed if we didn’t take the opportunity in front of us to school at home. I have enjoyed all the field trips we took together. I am not scared of the adults you will become. I know you will succeed at anything you put your minds and hearts to. And I am so proud of who you both are becoming.

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7) I would give you the world if I could. Not because I think you deserve it. Not because I think you have earned it, but because I love you enough that I want you to see first hand how unfair and cruel this world can be. Don’t set your eyes on worldly desires but on God and his promises. The world will fail you, but God never will.

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8) I loved my life as a child. It was a happy and carefree time with chasing fireflies in the summer and rabbit hunting with my dad in the winter. Watching tornados form the top of the celler and big family dinners and reunions with my aunts, uncles and cousins. Plastic water slides down a hill and pizza/french fries on Friday Nights while watching Full House. My playhouse out back with homemade curtains from my sister and tomato and salt rock soup. Swimming at the Lake, family trips to Dog Patch and weekends spent reading my new books. I may not have had big things or big trips, but I had family and love. Those are the things I remember the most.
9) I knew the first time I saw your father I was going to marry him. We met at a factory job when I was 19. There was something about the way he talked to me, that made me feel safe and content. I felt like I was home with him. It is a love that will last. Not always perfect but by morning the sun is always shining again. I will always be thankful for the love we share, for the home we built and the life we have.

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10) I have dreams. My dreams consist of following God’s plan for my life. Of course I have visions or ideas of one day owning a Tea Room, finding an old 1900 Farmhouse to fix up/live in and to own a Dog Sanctuary. I would also love to visit London, Paris, Venice, Maine, Hawaii, Seattle, The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. But I know as long as I follow God’s plan for my life, I will have no regrets at the end. Just know that you are my dreams. You are my life.

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I completely understand if you don’t quite know what to do with all this information right now. But there will come a time in your life when you will be so thankful and grateful that you have my dreams, visions and stories. That there won’t be regrets on knowing what I was like as a child, or why I love animals the way I do, or what did I really think about homeschooling you.
Just know this was from my heart, for you to cherish and love.
I have no regrets in my life. There is no choices I would redo. Each struggle, each heartache, each laugh and tear has formed us to the family we are. Enjoy your life. Love deeply and have no regrets about anything. Remember we are just passing through so make as many memories as you can, serve as many people as God allows you to, and always strive to be better tomorrow than you were today.

This Momma’s Meandering Mondays #59

Welcome one and all to This Momma’s Meandering Mondays 59 and I want to offer a great, big thank you in advance to all of you who link up with us!

Now…let’s get the party started and come on in and join the fun by linking up your favorite posts! We had an absolutely awesome week last week! Share the fun and make some new friends, find a new yummy treat, or find a wonderful new craft idea to make. This is a great way to grow in your friendships! But before we start this party…Grab a badge!

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<a href=”http://thismommasramblings.com/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg”
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Please join me in welcoming our new co-host for the month of August…Miranda from Grace and Gravy!

Miranda is the author behind the blog GraceandGravy with a side of life! She is a Crunchy, Country Mama giving her look on a Homemade Life of Homeschool, Good Eats, (Mis) Adventures, and Living Grace-Filled Everyday! Miranda resides in Arkansas with her sweet husby William that she has been married to for 15 years and a homeschool mama to kiddos Keegan and Lindy. She loves her four-legged, fur babies and they make her life complete. Miranda is passionate about blogging, reading, crafting, cooking, planning/decorating, and learning to be a more self-suf​ficient Homesteader.

Here is a wonderful guest post that she contributed to my site last week called, “Ten Things I Want My Children to Know About Me“! Such an amazing post from the heart!

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Now stop in and say howdy to my linky party partners in fun…

 

The wonderful Jessica from The Wondering Brain and Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures.

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Epic Mommy Adventures

 

Grab a badge and join the party!

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<a href=”http://thismommasramblings.com/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg” border=”0″ alt=” photo ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg”/></a>Now it is time to introduce our favorite This Momma’s Meanderer’s from last week, and boy oh boy it was a difficult choice! Don’t forget to grab your “I Was Featured” badge of honor! Congratulations to you all!

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<a href=”http://thismommasramblings.com” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/MondayHopBadgeFeatured_zpsdfc0f08f.jpg” border=”0″ alt=” photo MondayHopBadgeFeatured_zpsdfc0f08f.jpg”/></a>Miranda’s favorite post came from Crazily Normal with the post “Our First Baby!”
Saying, “I chose this post for my favorite this week because my furbabies are not just pets, they are family. I loved how she acknowledged Leaf as her first baby. And how she explains how well he does with the children.
After losing on of my furbabies this week to the Rainbow Bridge, this post makes me remember to make that time for our pets. They need our love and attention as well.”
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Jessica’s favorite post came from Crazily Normal with the post “Our First Baby!”
Saying, ” I have a soft spot for doggies and this one took the cake :). My hubby and I have a red nose pit bull who is such a gentle soul. No matter what, our red nose pit bull is the “first” child. Thanks for sharing the heartfelt post!”
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Natasha’s favorite post came from Giveaways 4 Mom with the post “5 Things Not to Say to a Large Family!”
Saying, “Some people are unknowingly insensitive and ask completely inappropriate questions. However, they mean no harm. Unfortunately, people are still affected. Lesson learned: Be careful what you say.”
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My favorite post came from Re-Do It Yourself Inspirations with the post “Solar Lights: Cutting the Chord!”
What a wonderful idea! I love the lamps that were chosen, to make such unique pieces. You can find so many types, styles, and sizes of lamps to make something different each time and even better, such a wonderful way to accent without killing that hideous power bill! LOL! Thank you so much for sharing!
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Congratulations to all of you amazing and wonderful linkers! Don’t forget to grab and display our “Featured” badge!

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<a href=”http://thismommasramblings.com” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/MondayHopBadgeFeatured_zpsdfc0f08f.jpg” border=”0″ alt=” photo MondayHopBadgeFeatured_zpsdfc0f08f.jpg”/></a>Thank you to all of you who joined us last week!

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I am looking for August co-hosts for This Momma’s Meandering Mondays? If interested, please drop me a line at [email protected]. I would love to have you along for the ride! You can also check out my sponsor page for more info.

Now let’s get this party started!

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Remember everyone enjoys a little comment love!

Feel free to “meander” by some fellow bloggers and find a new recipe to make for the family, a helpful blogging tip, a funny story to read, and best of all a new friend to make! There are really no rules to follow, only some suggestions to keep in mind…because we are all to enjoy the friendships that come along by doing these few simple and wonderful things…

1. Link up your favorite post…a story, a recipe, a photo, or a helpful tip…As many as you want, that’s right as many as you want!!!!

2. Please follow our Host’s

3. Find some new friends to follow, friendships are what it’s all about!

4. Be sure to leave some comment love, to get it in return.

5. Grab our badge and display on your blog, sharing the love is what it’s all about.

Meander through the links and make some new friends, find some amazing and useful tips, and maybe even a new treat to try!

 photo ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg
<a href=”http://thismommasramblings.com/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i1308.photobucket.com/albums/s608/ssgannett/ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg” border=”0″ alt=” photo ThisMommasMeanderingMondays_zps5366bef9.jpg”/></a>Welcoming you to link up all of your favorite sites for This Momma’s Meandering Mondays 59, for more opportunity to Meander around and share the love! So happy Linking everyone!

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Wake Up Wednesday “Linky” Week #28

   
 Welcome to the 28th week of  Wake Up Wednesday “Linky” 
 
34 Blogs  –  1 Party
 Giveaway
We are so excited to have you all party with us.
Thank you so much to all those who participate in our party.
Last week we had  412 awesome linkups!   
 Wake Up and be happy, get excited and have fun with us! 
We want to be inspired, entertained, laugh and have a good time!
 
 The hop is hosted and posted on 34 different blogs
Your link will appear on the blogs of
 
Interested in Co-Hosting Wake Up Wednesday?
Fill out this form and Angel will be in touch with you?
This weeks 
Featured Bloggers
The secret to raw edge appliqué is this tool, the Applique Pressing Sheet.  For many years, I would arrange my web backed fabric pieces on their background and hold my breath and apply the iron.  Now I press my pattern pieces to this sheet and if I don’t like the way they look, I can lift them up and put them somewhere else.  This sheet is also perfect if you are following a raw edge appliqué pattern, like the one I used to make this Forget-Me-Not block.

Coconut Pecan Cheesecake Bars

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WARNING! These are super decadent and rich! You must share with friends, or you might have a heart attack! They are the perfect combination of everything I love; caramel, chocolate, coconut, cheesecake, pecan, and a buttery crust! Enjoy these with a tall glass of milk and LOTS of friends!
Picture This: Enjoying Art, Nature and Getting "Summer Fit"!
This summer, I was invited to participate in Raise.com’s “Summer Fit” campaign.
I love to stay active during the summer so I was delighted to get involved with their
“Summer Fit” campaign.  I live in an urban environment, so finding a patch of green is especially satisfying for me.  Sure I belong to a great health club, but in the summer time I prefer to get my exercise
outside in the sun as much as possible.
Oreo Reese's Peanut Butter Pie  http://recipesforourdailybread.com/2014/07/29/creamy-peanut-butter-pie-recipe/

GARDEN PLANTER SWING

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The project consists of  a wood planter, rope, paint, nails,  flowers and a tree (if you don’t have a tree :)you can use your porch ceiling)
Mid-Year Blogger Planner & Calendar by Mama Miss Designs
Blogging has always been a hobby for me.  Well, “always” may not be the best term to describe my love affair with blogging.  When you think about it, blogging is a relatively new thing.  And I’ve only been at it for 8 years.  And it’s been pretty sporadic.  So scratch the first sentence of this blog post.  It’s a lie.

Double Stuff Oreo Pancakes

I love pancakes! I especially love the weekends because those are my cheat days which means I can have my pancakes! All week long I’m thinking of sweet, sinful ways to prepare my pancakes. Oh yea, I LOVE my pancakes!

The Ultimate Blog Resource Library

The Ultimate Blog Resource Library
In hopes of making everyone’s lives a little easier, I put together some helpful hints, tips and tricks all in one place to make your blogging much easier.
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I’m always interested in trying out different sensory play activities with the boys, even something very simple can grab their attention and provide an opportunity to explore something new. To find out more about why sensory play is important you can read my previous post and also get some ideas for lots more materials to use.
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“The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
the passion that she knows.”
― Audrey Hepburn
You all know how I love to make my own household goodies, this time I ventured into making my own deodorant. I looked online for months reading different posts, reading thoughts, reviews, whatever I could get my eyes on!
Bite-Size Peach Turnovers
Sometimes, you just want a small bite of dessert.  When that happens, a small bite of peach turnover will solve the problem.  Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and you have yourself a winner.  Just think small when you’re baking.
I’m so excited to share with you all a little bit of my home today! One of the greatest joys about buying our very first house is being able to scan pinterest for some amazing design ideas!
FriedGreenTomatoes final with words
Making them is super easy to do and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg either. Here is my families favorite way to eat them. Just thought I would share so your family could enjoy them too.
 
 
“The phrase “Pura Vida” (pu·ra vi·da) means “pure life” in Spanish. Enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune and not taking anything for granted embodies the Pura Vida Lifestyle. It’s about being free and living life to it’s fullest with no regrets or taking anything for granted; it’s an attitude.”
 
Raspberry Pinwheel Cookies - Christmas in July
Delicious jam filled cookies are a Christmas tradition, and these Raspberry Pinwheel 
Cookies are a fun way to enjoy jam.

I Hear Angels Singing

I recently finished another large angel. I gave her an old world patina finish like I have my other angels but I think this one is my favorite so far. I even like her better than my last angel with the large wings. 

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Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, crafts, decorating, fashion, makeup, health & fitness, recipes, mommy moments — anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly.



Please visit some other bloggers and make some new friends and say hello to old friends..

  • Please leave me a comment , I love to hear from you.
  • Please Link to your family friendly post 
  • I’d love for you to grab my party button for your blog party site but it’s totally optional
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Adding your link to this blog hop gives Sew Crafty Angel permission to share your posts and pictures via social media and as features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts.  Note- All features on Sew Crafty Angel And Co-Hosts will be linked back to the original source .Social media features are linked back to the linky party.

Whats Cookin with GraceandGravy: Meal Planning Week #3

What's Cookin
It’s a Tuesday afternoon, I’ve been running errands most of day and trying to catch up on laundry for the few moments I have been home.  Then I look at the clock and a uggggg sound comes out of my mouth.  It’s already time for the husby to get home for work and I haven’t even thought about dinner.  I run to the pantry to skim the contents, then head to the fridge only to remember I don’t have any meat thawing.  Now what am I going to do?  Supper is going to be late, and I can’t think of anything to throw together.
Does this sound like you?  Do you ever have those days when you cannot think of another single meal to cook?
Well, your not alone, I think as wives and mothers we all have those days more often than we would like to admit.  That is when I started Meal Planning.  I used to just write a menu and tape it to the fridge, but then I decided why not share it with you guys.
So WELCOME to “What’s Cookin with GraceandGravy: Meal Plans Week #3
Grab My Button
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Each Sunday I will share with you what my meals for the week will be.
Maybe we can help to spark creativity in each other for our nightly dinners.
I had Cheesy Potato Soup on the menu last week, but both my kiddos ended up going to my dads to spend some time with him.  Husby and I decided there was no need and cooking a pot of soup just for us, so we grabbed a sandwich and saved the soup for a later day (:  Perfect for a crock pot, after church lunch meal.
I love making Shredded Chicken BBQ Sandwiches.  It’s one meal my whole family agrees on.  Of course, like I said before,

sometimes your choice of bread will make all the difference so for our Shredded Chicken BBQ Sandwiches, I like to use Deli Style Hamburger Buns.  Serve with a side of  Homemade Potato Chips and Enjoy!

Tuesday my Church Connect Group, is having a Family Pool Party.  We are all bringing finger foods to eat.  I decided to make a Variety Pinwheel Platter to take.  I will add  the basic pinwheel, Bacon Ranch Pinwheel, Southwest Pinwheel and a Basil, Pesto Pinwheel.  Be checking back for those great recipes!

I also decided to make Kid-Friendly Sushi, which is just Turkey and Cheese Roll Ups that I cut like Sushi.  So much fun!  And I think I will also make Mini Apple Pies for a quick bite size dessert.  Can’t wait for a fun-filled night with friends!

Wednesday’s are also so rushed before I have to have the kiddos at Youth Group, so this week its Fast and Friendly Tacos.  No frills, just plain ole beef tacos with a side of rice and beans.  Can’t get with easier than that.

For Thursday I decided to cook a larger meal with the past couple nights before that wasn’t “big dinners”.  I chose Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken with Carrots and Potatoes, Mac-n-Cheese and maybe a loaf of homemade bread!

Friday is Take Out Night!  This Momma needs a break (:

Saturday is quick and easy around here, so its Subs and Pasta Salad!

Meal Plan Week 3

Chalkboard Image courtesy of Google Images

Would love to hear your meal plans for the week.   And I hope you enjoy a few of my meals!

Birthday Party on a Budget

 


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I love parties!

I love planning parties, decorating for parties, and hosting parties.

During the year, we don’t buy our kiddos a lot of extra except what they need, such as new shoes, clothes, items for an activity and ect.  So when their birthdays come around, I always want to make them special.  I will just say for the record, that yes I sometimes always  go overboard.  It drives the husby crazy!

But I also like to host birthday parties for family and friends as well.  And when I plan birthdays for them I have to stick to a budget.  I will say it’s not always easy.

My two great nieces turned four and five a few weeks back.  they came to stay with us for a few days the week of their birthdays, which happens to be two days apart from each other, and I wanted to make it special for them.

Since I have been tutoring this summer, I happened to have two of the kiddos at my house that day, whom my nieces know from church.  I thought wouldn’t it be fun to throw them a small birthday party!  Of course my mind started spinning as I got to planning.  Even though I wanted to make it special, I also needed to keep it small, in the budget and on a time schedule.

My daughter Lindy started looking for leftover party supplies I keep stashed around the house while I started on cakepops.  I prefer making cakepops for small parties.  They are fast, easy and so much fun.  I make my cake and icing homemade and I had white chocolate and sprinkles on hand from all the baking I do so I was out no expense.

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Lindy found green and yellow streamers that a friend had gave to me, that I thought would make a great background.  Next we  found a roll of leftover pink tablecloth from a church fundraiser last year.  I also found a teal tablecloth that was leftover from Lindy’s birthday last month,  that we used for a table runner.

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It was starting to come together and so far I hadn’t spent anything.

I realized that we didn’t have plates, forks and napkins so I ran to the store to pick those up  and found the cute yellow striped straws for .50.  I left the store with my supplies and only spent $4.00 plus tax.  When I got back home I placed the forks in a cute pink bucket, finished the cake pops and decided on strawberry lemonade to drink.  I mixed together half a package of sugar-free lemonade koolaid and 1/2 pack of sugar-free strawberry  koolaid, added a lemon slice on the side and “voila” we had party punch.

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Instead of using party cups, I used these cute plasic hug juice containers that I save and reuse.  they were perfect with the yellow striped straws.

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At Lindys party, we had photo props, so I pulled those out, put them in a cute bucket, added a couple frames that I had picked up at a thrift store several months back and hadn’t used and we had a really cute photo booth.

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I used a couple cute colored bowls for goldfish and gumballs, also left from Lindy’s party.

I placed the cakepops on a cake stand and we were almost ready.

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The last thing we needed was party hats.  I found a few pieces of leftover scrapbook paper that I had used for a craft and elastic string I had bought for another project I am working on, and we made these cute, tall party hats.

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The kiddos love them!

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Meet Jessie!  Look at that sweet face!

It was fast, threw together all before 1 pm.  It was cheap, spent appx $4.50 total and it was fun!

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Meet Silly Maddie!

Instead of games we let them draw with chalk on the driveway, have fun with the photo booth and watch a movie.

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They had a blast.  Happy Birthday Girls!

I got to thinking, I know other bloggers must have amazing party ideas as well.

So I got with some fellow blogging friends and we shared ideas.

 

Dawn from  HomemakingHacks has an amazing post on….

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Creating your own party decor will help make your party a success! The best news is that it’s probably a lot easier and less expensive than you think! With the help of basics and simple color coordination, you can make all different types of matching party goodies in under an hour.

I am so in love with the tape bunting around the jars!  So adorable! And so creative!

 

Another idea I love comes from Katelyn from What’s Up Fagan’s

 

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Several years ago, I decided not to just throw a birthday party for my daughter, I decided that she needed to do it with me. And not just her, the rest of her siblings needed to help too. It was a perfect way to teach them responsibility, kindness, even organization. I knew my children would have the motivation to help with such a great reward so I went to work. As they have gotten older, they help more and I do less and less.

Being a homeschool momma, I am all about my kiddos being independent and learning life skills at an early age.  Love this!

 

And make sure to drop by and check out Crystal’s Birthday Parties on a Tight Budget from  Crystal and Co.

 

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If you’re like a lot of party-lovin’ moms, you practically drool over fabulous pictures of designer birthday celebrations with gorgeous fondant cakes that START at one hundred dollars…and then reality hits: not in the budget this time. But do you know you can host an awesome kid’s birthday party on a really tight budget? It’s possible! Read on for some of my favorite money saving suggestions.

Thanks Crystal for the Awesome Ideas!

 

I hope you have enjoyed all of the amazing tips to help you stay on budget for your next party.

And make sure you check out each of these amazing blogs!

 

#AskAwayFriday with Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings

WoW! I cannot believe that is it already August! The Christmas season will be here before we know it.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m so glad it’s Friday! And what makes it better than being just Friday, is that I got to swap questions for #AskAwayFriday with Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings.

 

#AskAwayFriday

What is #AskAwayFriday?  Well…

#AskAwayFriday was created by the amazing Penny from Real Housewife of Caroline County who will again be joining us from time to time, as a way to connect with other bloggers with a great Q & A session of 10 questions and 10 answers, between two bloggers! This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know others while allowing others to get to know you and of course there is also the added bonus of making great friends along the way which is one of the best parts of this online world!

Now to welcome our wonderful #AskAwayFriday hosts…

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Tamara from Tamara Like Camera,
Tiffany from Mrs. Tee Love Life Laughter,
Christy from Uplifting Families,
Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings
and
Amber from Bold Fit Mom

Please join us in welcoming Jenessa from Mothering (In Real Life), who will be joining us for the next two weeks as co-host!

So glad to have you with us Jenessa!

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Jenessa is an amazing woman, wife and mother to 3 children who shares the ups downs and all of Mothering {In Real Life} while living with depression. Her story is inspiring and encouraging. Be sure to visit her and learn about her real life.

So…grab our button, follow our amazing hosts and co-host, hop through the great link ups and make some amazing new friends!

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I’m beyond excited to be swapping questions with my blogger friend Stacey from This Momma’s Ramblings.

Stacey is a forty year old, proud mother of three wonderful kids, her oldest from her first hubby and the two youngest from her current hubby. She is in their second year of homeschooling for her two youngest, in two separate grades. She have been happily married to her second husband for eleven years, though they have been together for sixteen years. Through those years they have had  good times and  bad ones too, but Stacey thinks she has become a stronger person for it.

Here are Stacey’s questions for me!

1. What does your dream vacation look like? Where do you go?

My dream vacation would be touring Europe with my family.  I would love to go to London and have Tea at every Tea Room I came to.  And if I could meet the Queen that would be a bonus (:

2. What is one thing that blogging has taught you about yourself?

Oh wow!  blogging has taught me that I am okay being who I am.  I am enough.  I am smart enough, strong enough and confident  enough to accomplish any task set before me.

3. What is your fondest dream that you have yet to accomplish?

That’s a toughie.  There is so many dreams I have for myself and my family.  I am a huge dreamer!  I would have to say to open my own Tea Room!

4. Who is someone in your life that has molded you into the woman that you are and why?

My mother.  She taught me to be strong, be resourceful and most important, be respectful.  I push myself everyday to be the woman she was.

5. What brought you to the “Crunchy” lifestyle? Is the rest of your family on board?

LOL!  Well about 9 years ago I had a stomach surgery and after that I could not digest meat.  I became a vegetarian and started looking into ways to live healthier, more resourceful and more stress-free. Eventually I became more on the crunchy side.  I’m still a country girl at heart, but I live more loving the earth and my surroundings.

My family,while they are not vegetarians, they do pretty much live the rest of their lives like me.  Living off the land as much as possible, trying to only buy second hand items, making our home soaps and cleaning products and being resourceful.

6. What is one dessert that you will go for above anything else?

Has to be Pastries!  I’m not big on sweets but oh my, I LOVE CHERRY AND APPLE TURNOVERS!

7. How long have you been blogging and why did you decide to start a blog?

I started blogging about a year ago.  I had resigned from a full-time, multi-campus ministry position and I didn’t know what to do with idle time.  There was only so much house to clean, and meals to cook.  I took about 6 months getting to know the blogging world, then about 2 months deciding what I wanted out of my blogging and came back in April with my new blog.

8. What would a pamper day include for you?

A MASSAGE, PEDI-CURE, AND FACIAL!  I love for my skin to be smooth and I won’t lie, I love to have my back and necked rubbed!

9. Do you have a favorite recipe from your childhood that you now make for your family?

My momma always made me strawberry cake with german chocolate icing.  I do make that a lot, but my momma cooked from scratch every meal so I enjoyed everything lol.  I make Mexican Chicken a lot, it was a favorite of mine.

10. How long have you homeschooled? What made you decide that was the route you wanted to take for your kids’ education?

I have been homeschooling for 8 years.  We started when my kiddos were in 1st and 3rd grade.  My daughter Lindy was very smart but she was not being challenged enough.  She is a leader and don’t sit with idle time just like me!  She just didn’t thrive.  W e felt she was being held back instead of being told to run.  It was scary at first, but my kiddos love it.  They are both a year ahead so we should be entering 8th and 10th but we will be doing 9th and 11th grade work!  Hands down, best choice I ever made.

 

Thank you Stacey for letting me be a part of #AskAwayFriday.  I have loved it.  Don’t forget to hop over to Stacey’s blog to see my Questions I asked her!

 

Be sure to check out our Facebook page “AskAwayFriday” for a great place to meet up and send out a #BuddyRequest if you need a partner to swap with!

Would you like to join in on the #AskAwayFriday fun as a co-host? Click on the link below and fill out the form!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1UhIFHDZT8-hFtNjHU7v5HHqM1N9JWq7eSd_5aO_MOdY/viewform

By adding your email to this link up, you will be added to email correspondence that may be sent by one of our hosts, you may opt out at any time.

Host’s reserve the right to remove any links that do not pertain to the #AskAwayFriday theme.

Wine’d Down Wednesday #46

WDW-headerWelcome to the 46th Week of Wine’d Down Wednesday!

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone that has been linking with us so far, we are beyond thrilled to have you coming back week after week and just love reading all of your posts! We were all so excited and overjoyed that so many of you want to come and share your awesomeness with us. Keep on sharing and spreading the Wine’d Down love :)

Are you interested in joining our fun? Why not co-host with us! We are looking for co-hosts to help spread our wine’d down love! Join us, it’s free! :) If you are interested, email Michelle at [email protected].

Without further a-do- on to the party!

Our Three Peas
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We are so excited you have joined us for a girl’s night out, blog style! So…why Wine’d Down Wednesday? Well, what’s the best kind of party? The kind where wine is served of course! Since we can’t meet our fellow blog friends in person we thought we’d throw a party every week. So grab your wine, link up a recent post, and mingle. Your post doesn’t need to include wine, linking up while drinking wine is completely acceptable and encouraged! We want any of your funniest, heartfelt, absurd, crafty, or delicious posts. As an added bonus, we will also be rotating a different social media outlet each week so you’ll get minglers at all your hangouts.

Our Wine’d Down Wednesday Pinterest board is brimming with all of your amazing posts. Each week we look at all the link ups and each choose the one we like the best! It’s always difficult to each choose just one, but we did and here are our 3 top Wine’d Down favorites for this week:

 

WDW_featured picks

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1. Freeze Ahead Strawberry Burritos // Curly Crafty Mama

2. Fish Tacos with Grilled Pineapple // Pure Grace Farms

3. Ice Cream ConeCupcakes // Krafts and Kiddos

4. 25 Things I want My Daughter to Know // Seven Graces

Congrats to all that were chosen! We have pinned these in our Wine’d Down Wednesday Pinterest Board.

Follow The Best of Wine’d Down Wednesday Link Party Board by Kristin (Dizzy Busy and Hungry!) on Pinterest

 

If you were featured, don’t forget to grab our “I’ve been featured on WDW” button!

Our Three Peas
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Now come and meet your amazing hosts!

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Michelle at Our Three Peas: twitter// Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Bloglovin’ //Google+

Chastity at My Rays of Sunshine: twitter// Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Bloglovin’ //Google+

Kristin at Dizzy Busy and Hungry: twitter// Facebook // Instagram // Pinterest // Bloglovin’ //Google+

Cathy at Three Kids and a Fish: twitter// Instagram // Pinterest // Bloglovin’ //Google+

Come Meet Our Fabulous Co-Host!

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We are so excited to have Miranda from Grace and Gravy as our co-host! This southern mom to three, loves to write all about her family, her homeschooling journey and also shares her amazing recipes along the way. Come stop by and give her some wine’d down love by visiting her blog, and on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest, and on bloglovin‘!

Now for the rules!

1. Follow your hosts and co-host in any way you can.

2. Visit 2-3 other blogs. It’s not a party if you’re not mingling!!

3. Link up to THREE recent post. No posts to other linkups, reviews, or giveaways please. We will only feature you once each week though.

4. Help us spread the word about this party by displaying our button on your post or sidebar.

5. Tweet and spread the word, if you feel so inclined :)

6. Use the hash tag #wineddown when sharing about us!

Got your wine ready??? Not yet? Ok, we’ll wait…….Got it now? Great! Let’s get our links on!

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