Move Over Cupcakes - Mini Pies Are the New Slice of Birthday Heaven

Like many parents, my kiddos birthday parties are a big deal. I enjoy the planning and putting it together and they enjoy the party, so it’s a win-win, except for the paying part. However, for my daughter’s first birthday, I really wanted to make it all about family, especially since ours doesn't live so close. With an August birthday close to Labor Day, we chose the lake as a perfect setting to just take it easy with a retro cherry-themed birthday party, complete with mini-pies, homemade ice cream and a huge helping of family fun…all made possible with a little help from a couple of local friends.

Cherry Birthday Invitation from Art by Ellie

I’ve known this talented graphic artist for years and she’s great at making any event (especially weddings) go the extra mile with the right invitation. I was traveling while these invites were designed, I told her a few things about what I was looking for and she was able to create a masterpiece ideal for a little one-year old party.

http://www.artbyellie.com

                                                                                                                        

Like a Slice of Humble Pie with Mini Pies by Keller’s Sugar and Frosting

I really love cupcakes. I mean really. When I was pregnant with my first, I actually drove 40 miles to get a strawberry cupcake that I had seen in a magazine. So when this southern-style bakery opened up in Keller over a year ago, the only thing bad (or good) I can say is at least it takes me 20 minutes to get there to indulge in their scrumptious cupcake flavors like cookies and cream, samoa and turtle caramel pie. Then when they broke out the mini pies (about the same as size as and pie pops), I knew exactly when I would be ordering up a batch. In efforts to delight everyone’s taste buds, I had them give me a handful of everything. Oh, my, we love pie! (Can’t wait to bite into these!)

Sugar and Frosting

126 Taylor Street, Keller, TX 76248

www.sugarandfrosting.com

Nothing Goes Better with Pies than Ice Cream

Since the party “theme” was supposed to be centered on old-fashioned family fun, it seemed only fitting that we would complement the pies with homemade ice cream. I’ve never made ice cream myself, so I scoured the Internet looking for a classic vanilla ice cream. Of course, one of my favorites TV foodies, Alton Brown had a recipe for Serious Vanilla Ice Cream that didn’t seem too complicated and was rated five stars. A little off the charts…the peach preserves seems a little something delicious! One of the things I really wanted for my ice cream is that it had a solid texture and wasn’t watery like soft serve, so I am planning to freeze it for a few hours before serving with the old-school Original Zeroll® Ice Cream Scoop to make the perfect-sized scoops!

Gift the Girl with Fun for a One-Year Old

Once I selected the cutest dress ever for my princess, it was time to choose a couple of gifts for her to open. While a tea set and a Barbie doll are a little too soon to buy, I was looking for something that could get the little girl to get walking and having some fun.

Sesame Street ABC Playland Inflatable Ball Pit

Learn your ABCs and 123s with the Sesame Street ABC Playland Inflatable Ball Pit.  With interactive side panels, peek-through windows and 20 soft flex balls, she should have a blast learning and playing in this mini ball pit (especially, when mama buys some balls.)

Currently available at Toys ‘R’ Us and Walmart, $34.99.

Fisher Price- Little People Lil’ Fixer Ride-On

Little handy kiddos are ready to fix anything with this adorable ride-on!  The Fisher Price- Little People Lil’ Fixer Ride-On includes a removable hand held tool box, pretend hammer, wrench, screwdrivers and saw. Push the buttons on the dashboard to hear a fun tune and sound effects! 

Currently available at Babies ‘R’ Us, $34.99

Now that everything is ready to go, all we have to do is wait for this weekend. I’ll share photos of all the fun!

Disclaimer: I received  products including the toys and the ice cream scoop, for consideration of a review. However, the comments contained here are all my own. 

Five Baby Safety Products You (and Baby) Shouldn’t Live Without (updated 1.13.13)

After you've left the hospital and get to take your new darling home, there’s a wholenew world of acclimation for both you and baby to get into a routine. I basically compare it to when the honeymoon phase is over when you get married,but it’s now time for you and baby to figure out: “How are we gonna do this?”

Whenmy first child was born I sometimes had to wait all day before my husband got home just so I could take a shower. Then I was given a Bumbo and the whole world became a new place including one where I no longer smelled of baby poo and milk. Although Bumbos recently were recalled, at the time,it was the one item in the world I couldn’t live without. Thankfully, several companies have continued to improve technology by developing new products to solve some of the biggest new baby (and even beyond) issues in efforts to help families live more normal and safer lives.

“My Baby Won’t Sleep Flat” 

If you think you are the first parent to attempt to stack up pillows, blankets, or even stuffed animals just the right way to try to getyour baby to sleep like they do in their car seat, then here’s your wake-up call – join the long lines of parents who’ve done the same thing and not succeeded. Thankfully, one mom developed a safer option and called it the Nap Nanny® Chill. 

Nap Nanny® Chill

This soft, portable recliner was designed to increase comfortand improve infant sleep. The Nap Nanny® mimics the contours of a car seat and the comfort of a baby blanket and features maximum stability, allowing your baby to rest peacefully. The cover has a waterproof liner protecting the foam for greater longevity, while the safety harness keeps baby secure. Weighing onlythree pounds, the Nap Nanny® travels and stores easily, so you can take this to grandma’s house without bringing a trailer to fit all the baby stuff. I’m surethat this one is soon to replace many bassinets and pack and plays for newborns.

NapNanny.com or Amazon.com,$129

NOTE: NapNanny has been closed due to a recall, but many parents and retailers stand by this is an amazing product. For more info, follow their Facebook. 

“I Spent all this Money on a Crib Set and I Can’t Even Use It”

I will never admit how much I spent on my crib bedding foreither of my kids, but I will divulge that I spent less time deciding whatcollege to go and what car to buy than the countless number of hours online finding the perfect crib set. The irony was, while it was cute, once I took all the parts out that aren’t safe for a baby (the big blanket, the bumper and even pillows), I was left with a sheet and a bed skirt. Then I had to go and buy additional swaddle thingies so my baby could be warm, but not suffocate themselves. So basically,what was the point, right?

Halo SafeSleep Crib Set

While a little late for me, you finally have the perfect safe solution for baby bedding. The all-in-one Halo SafeSleep Crib Set is contains everything your baby needs to sleep safe and sound from the start: a coordinating HALO SleepSack wearable blanket, SleepSack Swaddle, two soft 100% cotton jersey fitted crib sheets and matching decorative skirt. And for theType A moms like me, it all matches, so you still can have a cute set while keeping your baby safe, so now you can sleep at night rather than think about what matches what and if your baby is breathing. Best of all, at around $100 and available in several colors and designs, it’s also a new pick for my Roundup of Perfect Baby Shower Gifts!

Halosleep.com, $115

“I’m Scared I’ll Forget My Baby in the Car”

No one ever thinks they’re going to be “that” parent who forgets their child in a hot car, but sadly it happens every year, especially when the weather is at its hottest. Sleep deprived new parents are especially susceptible as the routine of taking care of baby is so new. The childminder® SMART Clip SYSTEMis an alarm that goes off 8 seconds after the parent or caregiver has moved more than 15 feet from the child in his/hersafety seat.  The ChildMinder system installation takes less than three minutes. Simply replace the baby’s safety seat chest clip with the ChildMinder system's smartclip and place the key ring alarm unit on your automotive key ring…itrings when you walk too far from the car seat with your baby locked inside.(Wish you had thought of that, right?)

BabyAlertInternational.com,$69.95 

childminder® SMART Clip SYSTEM

“It’s Too Much Work to Transfer my Car Seat”

Since I’m normally am the official chauffeur of the Reo children, I don’t have to trade out the chairs very often. However, when Ido, it takes everything I have to transfer them to the next vehicle and worst off, return it back to my car. Not only is it inconvenient, but fiddling with buckles and the finding the Latch hooks to connect everything still has me sweating and tired. Thankfully Baby Trend has figured out safety and efficiency can actually work together.

trendZ Fastback 3-in-1 Car Seat

The trendZ Fastback 3-in-1 CarSeat changes smoothly as your child grows from 22 lbs. up to 120 lbs. In less than a minute, the carseat can be installed using the latch anchors points in the car.  It is a forward-facing car seat with a built-in harness up to 70 lbs., a high-back booster seat up to 100 lbs. and a backless booster seat up to 120 lbs. The FastBack features a structural steel frame withwhat they call a “innovative Rigid Energy Management System (REMS), the easiest,most secure and reliable attachment method available. “Designed to exceed all governmental safety standards and reduce the movement of the car seat in acrash."  

While I don’t know what the REMSis, I can testify I feel like my kid is secure and it took literally 2 minutesto install with a little bit of strength to click-it-in to place.  And even better it has a built in cup holder and even a spot for toys or gaming device (for when she is a little older.) I do think we have found our solution to the one car seat that does it all and goes with us as she grows up!

BabiesRUs.com, $199.95

“My Kiddo Doesn’t Need a Booster, but Do You have a Phonebook?”

While your baby won’t need help sitting at the kitchen table right off the bat, there will be a time that your bundle of joy will not need to be in the high chair, but still need a little help to reach the top. Thank goodness for you, you don’t have to tote around one of those giant phone books anymore, now there’s LUV CHICKEN!  

Luv ChickenBooster Cushion

Described on their website, “Your Little Chicken will love the boost they get at the dinner table with the Luv ChickenBooster Cushion,” it’s your solution for the movie theater, restaurants, and the ball game! What I loved about the Luv Chicken was that it was washable, had a handle and you don’t have to worry about the cushion slipping off the chair since it’s got a non-slip bottom. I got one that was green too, so then both boys and girls can use it. This is just one of those things that is good to keep around even after your kids don’t need a little boost.

Luv-Chicken.com, $45.00

Looking for more baby love?

It’s always baby around here, but this month, it’s really about them with the best products and things you need to get ready for baby.

The Perfect Baby Shower Gifts

Combat Germs with Homemade Hand Sanitizer

Save Your Baby Toes with ToeBlooms

Disclaimer: I received these items for purposes of this review, but the comments here are all my own.

Combat Germs with a Homemade Hand Sanitizer

September marks the start of the season every parent comes to dread: cold and flu season. As children take their play indoors, germs circulate more quickly, leading to six months of increased infections that can, at any point, turn a day of school or work into cancelled meetings and time spent coughing on the couch.

A great homemade hand sanitizer and these cute bottles inspired from  http://santasgiftshoppe.blogspot.com  make great playdate, school gifts and shower ideas.

As with all illnesses, prevention is better than the cure. While many parents turn to hand sanitizer to kill germs, these store-bought concoctions can contain alcohol and harsh chemicals. Dr. Lawrence Rosen, a nationally recognized expert in Pediatric Integrative Medicine, shares this recipe for a gentler – and equally effective – homemade hand sanitizer:

Homemade Hand Sanitizer
Ingredients:
•       3 oz. filtered water
•       1 tsp. aloe vera gel
•       10 drops cinnamon essential oil
•       10 drops clove essential oil
•       10 drops rosemary essential oil
•       10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
•       20 drops lemon oil

Instructions: Mix ingredients in a 4-ounce spray dispenser, and shake gently. Spray on children’s hands, and teach them to massage the spray into their hands for 30 seconds. The result is a natural, chemical free, hand sanitizer to keep germs at bay.

Dr. Rosen, along with holistic-minded parent Jeff Cohen, recently published a book of natural remedies for nearly 100 common childhood ailments – everything from acne to urinary tract infections. The book, Treatment Alternatives for Children: Reduce Serious Side Effects with Natural Equivalents to Conventional Remedies for Common Childhood Ailments, is a resource for parents who want to find alternatives to prescription antibiotics and other conventional treatments that sometimes have harsh side effects. Like Dr. Rosen’s approach to preventing, and treating, the flu, each ailment is addressed from the perspective of the child’s overall well being.

Trendy Baby Fashion Tips (Without Going Broke)

A recent article said that raising a child costs an average family $235,000 from birth to 17. While that probably seems hard to imagine as a new or parent-to-be,  ask any parent with at least a six-month old and they know that babies and all their “stuff” add up.  And by "stuff" I’m not even talking about the perfect stroller (which I’ve yet to find and have five), but your baby’s style – like clothes, shoes and even their diapers.

I got a glimpse of my grim (and poor) future when I waspregnant with my daughter and purchased a white Burberry onesie. Not onlyshould a baby not wear while, but there is no use for Burberry on a one-yearold. I don’t even have any Burberry!

So in efforts to help you rather than pretend it’s not important, here are a couple of tips from this mom on head-to-toe baby style(not to be exemplified on mom’s own capacity to be stylish.) Besides, when your kiddo is 17 they won’t hate you for putting them in that ugly Elephant out fitif you put them in some of these designer shoes! 

One-stop shopping that cute for all ages

I’m so excited to share some new happenings from one of our favorite stores, The Children’s Place! While I have been a fan of The Children’s Place for the kids when they hit those toddler years, when they were infants it seemed like their baby section was limited. However, the store is now understanding that moms don’t have time to go to several stores to score all our kiddos’ clothes,so they’ve revved up their under 12 months old department and appropriately named it BABY PLACE! Now not only can you grab all your uniforms and staple items, but can also get clothing for the baby too! And best of all, they say during the holidays, you’ll be able to find coordinating outfits for all ages…(yes, I said that and you probably will too!)

Also,for those of you that already have kids, right now there are so good deals going on instore and online as well as cash back when you spend $40!

           Consignment shopping

If you like dressing your kids as much as I do, you’ll go broke – no matter how much money you have! Thankfully, nowadays being thrifty is nifty, so sales like Just Between Friends and Rhea Lana have become celebrated bi-annual events for moms. Whether you are selling or buying,these events make having young children affordable and you benefit from those moms who buy all the nice clothes for their kids and take care of them! When kids only wear things 2-3 times when they are under 1, it doesn't make sense to invest in really expensive clothing,but your kids can if you are willing to look and go early at these not-to-miss sales.  So just go to these websites, save the dates and make sure you get there before the crowds do!

           Stepin Style with her first pair of designer shoes!

If you follow me, you know I prefer to be barefoot, but still love the art of a beautiful shoe. And given the opportunity to have a pair of my own Stuart Weitzmans, I would probably put them in a shrine to look at every day rather than wear them. Soget almost the fun out of a having a pair and for a whole lot cheaper, get your baby fashionista her own pair of My First Weitzman.  Available from newborn to 12 months in a broad range of colors and styles, any stylish mom and her baby will thrilled to have a pair! This perfect gift item comes beautifully packaged in a pink signature box.

You can be stylish all the way to their undies

Having your baby all dolled up doesn’t end with the dress and the shoes. With designer disposable diapers and adorable cloth diapers, your baby can look good with hardly anything but their bottoms! Now while I am not a cloth diaper mama, I have tons of friends who are and claim it really is easy as well as much more inexpensive and not to mention more environmentally friendly. So when I was received a few samples of adorable cloth nappies from Ones & Twos that grew with you from ages 0-2, my curiosity made me want to try cloth diapers (only as a test.) Once I read the instructions a few times and popped online to the cloth diapering pros at Pooters, I felt I could do it…and since we weren’t going anywhere for the evening, why not?

In the words of Paul Harvey, "and the rest of story...":

Actually there really wasn’t one. I didn’t love the part about washing them after the mess, so I know I would outsource that part to the professionals. But all together, I can proclaim it can be done…(at least once that is!)

Just face it kids cost money. A lot. But by being smart and being willing to pair a little hand-me-down Ralph with a brand new pair of Stuart Weitzmans, your baby will still be the belle of the ball!

DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC's 16 CFR Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")

10 Things I Learned from Two Weeks in Italy (and there's pictures!)

While spending 14 days in Italy with my husband without my kiddos or a phone sounds like the perfect opportunity to create several beautiful blog posts, I really made myself go on vacation and NOT work.  Being that this was my #1 bucket list item EVER and I had dreamed about it for 20 years (or more), I couldn't even begin to what NOT to write about. So for once in my life, I just inhaled (or ate) everything around me (except for those couple of times I did find a WIFI connection and jumped on Facebook.) From the sounds, the smells, the tastes, the feelings and of course the sights, I just took it all in (and when I was allowed) photographed everything I could. That’s why I have more than 1000 shots ordered from Shutterfly!

A shot from my Iphone in Venice

Anyhow, once THE vacation was over and went back to reality, it was hard to get back in the swing of things- to the point a couple of B-12 shots had to get me back into gear. And while the urge to have a few gelatos or proseccos at lunch never really goes away (I had that issue before Italy), I’ve gotten mostly back into my 100-miles-a-minute momentum, however, not without a little different perspective and learning lessons.

So since everyone in North Texas seemed to visit Italy this summer, I won’t take you through a play-by-play of Rome, Napoli, Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, Florence, Pisa, Venice and Lido (unless you want to meet for coffee and have a few hours to spare), but I will share what new look at life I’m trying to put into my playbook. (And if you keep on reading, I might share a link too below to some photos if you are one of those people that like to look at beautiful things and delicious food.)

While I could go on about this amazing trip that I can only hope that I can repeat again, I’ve decided that like a Roman ruin, I’m just going to leave it there (in my brain) to enjoy, appreciate, escape to and remember whenever I like. And when the memories start to fade, I might also take a look at these photos. 

Ten Things I Learned in Italy

10. It’s ok not to do something sometimes. Really.

9. Docking your boat at Hell’s Gate in Possum Kingdom Lake seems a whole lot like docking your boat at Capri.

8. Cheese is amazing. And it’s even better when you get to eat it for every meal. It’s even better when your whole dinner is cheese prepared four ways and when you can use olive oil and a truffled balsamic vinegar. 

7. First-class really does make a difference when you’re flying for more than three hours.

6. My husband is a good man even when he is on two-hours of sleep, swollen feet and no A/C. 

5. When traveling to Italy, a course in “Understanding the Italian Train System, Trenitalia” should be mandatory.

4. The most important things you can have are a great pair of shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera and a compass.

3. I love that in Texas we smile at each other, say thank you and please, open doors and say excuse me. (And that just begins my list of why I love Texas.)

2. There is so much to learn and appreciate in giving respect to things that are old. Architecture, artwork and even people should be recognized rather than just knocking it down.

1. Fortitude. It’s the key to happiness. While I thought I knew what this word was, I didn't know what it meant until an afternoon with an English tour guide sharing her strong commentary of various artworks within the walls of the Uffizi. When we came to the The Seven Virtues by Botticelli and Piero del Pollaiolo, she provided her definition of this important virtue. “Fortitude is your capability to take matters in your own hands when “sh*t” does not go your way and you can maintain a smile.” Between her English accent and “educated description,” it (and the artwork) stuck with me even after I was done laughing.

Ciao!

Baby Roundup: The Perfect Baby Shower Gifts

Did you know that more babies are born in August than any other month? In celebration of this and the fact that my daughter will turn one this month as well, we’ll be concentrating on all things baby this month. From newborns, toys, equipment must-haves and even trends in baby birthdays, we’ll be focusing on them this month!

One of the best (and worst) parts of expecting a baby is the waiting part. Depending on your personality (and if it’s your first baby or not), you’re busy asking questions, being puzzled and basically overwhelmed with all things baby. That’s why baby showers were created; not just to gift the new parents, but to give everyone something to look forward to while your bun in the oven is baking.

So this week I’ve rounded up some of the coolest things for shower gifts and newbie parents.

1.) TeetheMe.com Subscription:

It’s the gift that keeps on giving; a monthly subscription to the hottest baby gifts on the market! Do you have one of those moms that always has the newest must-haves of everything? Then she’ll definitely want to make sure she’s got the coolest products for her kiddo as well! Based on how much you want to spend, a subscription to TeetheMe.com gets a monthly box of 4 to 5 hand-picked products for your child (aged newborn to 3 years old) delivered straight to their door in our signature TeetheMe Box.  My box included a pair of baby sunglasses, City Grips stroller handle covers (a must for any mom with a stroller that saves her hand while looking cute), a Mickie Mouse lovie and a Little Pim Foreign language DVD. It was perfect for my one-year old!

(www.teetheme.com) Starting at $24.00

2.) Daddy Diaper Changing Toolkit:

Featured on The Today’s Show, this is the one toolkit that daddy-to-be won’t be asking for…his very own Daddy Diaper Changing Toolkit. A fun gift to get dad in the spirit, this toolkit comes with all the tools from turkey baster to goggles, to make this chore a little easier (or at least a little bit more fun to watch!) There’s lots of other things on this site as well, so check it out for all things dad!

(www.giftsfordadtobe.com) $36.99

3.) Covillow:

Studies show one of the best things a mom can do to protect her new baby is to breastfeed (and the hospital will certainly reminder mom as well.) While many moms want to breastfeed, but it’s the idea that you’ll be out of the home feeding your child while exposed that makes the choice difficult. That’s why you’ve seen all those lovely designer covers out on the market, but that don’t seem to do everything a breastfeeding mom might need.  Covillow makes it easier for a breastfeeding mom to still have a life.  This nursing cover is like none, other- it covers your back and both sides completely and has a pillow so that both mom and baby are comfortable.  Plus it rolls up to easily fit into a diaper bag.

(www.covillow.com)  $59.95

4.) Personalized Diapers by Diapers Couture

I’d rather not even share this little gem as it is my go-to gift for all parents-to-be, but it is one of my favorites! There’s nothing better than personalized diapers all perfectly packaged to look like a cupcake! I always get raves for this gift and best of all it’s a practical gift that will be used – and the parents will think of you every time they change their baby’s diaper (I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad…). With a few weeks’ notice, you can customize the diapers with the baby’s name, initials, nursery design, the parents’ favorite things or leave it up to them. In DFW you can pick them up or out-of-the-area you can have them delivered. It takes about 10 minutes to put this gift together, and voilà!, the perfect, personalized baby gift.

(www.diaperscouture.com) $49.95

Hope this list is helpful! They’ll remember you for these gifts!

Disclaimer: I received products from Teethme.com, Daddy Diaper Changing Kit and Covillow for purposes of this review, however, the comments here are all my own.