Wacky Wednesday for Dr. Seuss

Today was Wacky Wednesday at school for my youngest daughter, Jade. Her class is celebrating Dr. Seuss this week and today they had to wear their most tackiest clothes. Jade and I decided that she didn't want to go too wacky since we wasn't sure how many of the other kids were going to dress wacky aswell.

This is what we came up with

(Jade is on the right and Loran is on the left)

Like I said, it's not very tacky or wacky at all but I thought both of my daughters looked adorable and that's all that matters!

Jade has a theme to dress by this week. Below is what we are using to plan this weeks outfits!

Monday - Fox in Socks ~ Wear Silly Socks

Tuesday - The Sleep Book ~ Wear your Pajamas

Wednesday - Wacky Wednesday ~ Wear your most tacky clothes

Thursday - Green Eggs and Ham ~ Wear the Color Green

Friday - Cat in the Hat ~ Wear Stripes

Tomorrow is ALL GREEN DAY!

I wonder what we can come up with since she wore her green pants today?

Is your child's school doing anything special for Dr. Seuss' Birthday this week?

Star-spangled Parfait

Star-spangled Parfait

Colorful layers of flavored gelatin and whipped cream give our light and tasty dessert its banner good looks.

For four servings, make one box each of red and blue gelatin according to the package directions. In tall, clear glasses, alternate layers of red gelatin and whipped topping (we used Cool Whip), as shown. Top with the blue gelatin. (For the fruity version on our cover, substitute raspberries and blueberries.) Finish with a slice of star fruit.

Recipe found at www.parents.com

Rock Candy Jell-o Shooters

Recipe found at: www.tablespoon.com/recipes

A spiked 4th of July Treat that will make anyone feel like a kid again! (Make sure that if you have kids at the party that you also make a kid friendly version also with water or juice instead of the alcohol ) You can also use others colors other than Red, White and Blue for other celebrations!

 

Ingredients

• 1 3 oz box strawberry gelatin dessert
• 1 3 oz box berry blue gelatin dessert
• 3 cups water
• 6 envelopes plain gelatin
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 1/2 cups ice cold fruit flavored vodka or rum

Directions

1. Pour each of the gelatin dessert mixes into a heat safe bowl and set aside.
2. Pour the water into a medium saucepan. Sprinkle with the 6 envelopes of plain gelatin. Allow to soak for a minute or two.
3. Heat over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is fully dissolved (about 5 minutes).
4. Pour one cup of the plain gelatin mixture into the bowl containing the strawberry gelatin mix. Stir for two minutes, or until the red gelatin is dissolved. Repeat process with the blue gelatin. Add one cup of the liquor to each bowl, stir well.
5. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the saucepan containing the rest of the clear gelatin mixture. Add 1/2 cup of the liquor and stir well to combine.
6. Lightly spray 4 1 lb loaf pans (about 8" x 5") with cooking spray. Wipe out with a paper towel.
7. Pour 3/4 cup of the red gelatin mixture into one of the prepared loaf pans. Repeat with 3/4 cup of the blue gelatin mixture. Divide the white gelatin between the remaining two pans. Place all the pans in refrigerator until the gelatin is set (at least an hour).
8. Cover the liquid gelatins and set aside.
9. When the pans of gelatin have set, dice the gelatin into small cubes. (You can cut the gelatin right in the pan).
10. Mix the diced gelatin and divide as desired between two of the loaf pans. (I had two pans that were predominantly blue, and two that were predominantly red cubes.)
11. Grab the liquid gelatin (if it is starting to set up, microwave for 10 to 15 seconds - just long enough to soften, not warm the gelatin - and stir thoroughly). Pour the liquid gelatin, red in one pan, and blue in the other, to fill about 3/4 of the way up the gelatin cubes. (You may have a little liquid gelatin left over.) Return pans to refrigerator and allow to set for several hours or overnight.
12. Remove pans from the fridge. Cut around the edges of the pan, and invert the gelatin slabs onto a non-stick surface for cutting.
13. Cut the gelatin into 3/4 to 1" strips, wiggling your knife to give an uneven edge (like rock candy). If you cut the strips too thin, they will break when skewered.
14. Skewer each strip with a lollipop stick - hold the gelatin gently at the sides, and insert the stick almost all the way to the top. Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and chill until ready to serve!

DIY Pinata

Quick Fun Pinata

Since the warm weather is finally here, alot of people are having Birthday parties. A Pinata is almost always a must at a child birthday party. But they are so expensive! The big ones cost up to $40 these days!!! The cheapest pinata I was able to find last month was a small butterfly that was on sale for $11.99. My daughters just turned 5 and 6 so we had them a combined birthday party. I ended up not being able to get them a pinata, we ran out of money at the end. The day before the party, my aunt came and got my girls so they could play with her daughter and I could finish up the house and finish getting ready for the Birthday Party. While she had the girls, she found directions to make a quick pinata out of paper bags! Yes, I know, that sounds lame, but it turned out really cute!

Ciara, age 5, hitting her home-made Pinata

The Supplies you will need are :

2-4 Paper Grocery bags

Streamer in the colors that fit your Party Theme.

Glue (Craft Glue or School Glue will work)

Packing tape (Clear tape works best but if you would like you can use the colored duck tape that matches your party colors)

String or Ribbon

Goodies to fill Pinata

Hole Punch (I didn't have a hole punch so I stuck a nail thru the bag and tape to make the small holes)

Craft/Decorating Supplies : 

Paper, Markers/Crayons, Magazine clippings,

Computer Printouts such as Clip-Art,

Stickers, Glitter

Depending on how strong you want the pinata to be is how many bags you use. I used 2 and it lasted thru 5 little girls hitting it, but as soon as the first boy took a swing it busted and everyone was happy! So if you have a party full of boys you might want to use 3 or 4 bags.
Bringing the Birthday boy or girl in to help with their pinata makes it even more special to them, along with the important bonding time you will be getting with your child! It's such a fun way to bring out someones imagination and make it useful!
Here is how to begin ---->

Start out with one bag laying flat on the table.
Decide how you're going to decorate your pinata.You can use pretty much anything you like. Any theme can be displayed on the pinata. For example, my daughters' had a very gurlie party. Everything pink, purple and flowery with Princesses and Faeries everywhere! With our pinata, I drew and cut out flowers of pink and purple construction paper along with a few green leaves and a couple butterflies. My daughters and I randomly glued them on the front and back of the bag. You can find pictures of princesses or any special design online or draw and color your own, Magazine pictures make pretty pinata's also! Make sure that none of the important pictures or designs that you want visible are on the bottom 4 inches of the bag.

Our Gurlie Pinata

Once you have your design on the bag and it is almost dry, if not all the way dry (depending on how much time you have before the party), Cut the streamer in 12 to 14 inch strips. You can distinguish how many of each color you would like to use, I did mine in a pattern with pink and white. Glue the strips about 4 inches from the bottom, letting them dangle past the bottom of the bag. You will need to open up the bag for this step. Make sure the strips are touching and go around all four sides of the bag, the last one may over lap a bit. Open up the other bags and place them inside the decorated bag. (They should all fit perfectly inside each other) Add your pinata goodies!! When you have all your goodies in your pinata, close the top of the bag by putting the tops together and using tape to keep it secure. Go around the top of the bag a couple times with the take to make sure it's strong enough to hold the weight of the bag on the string or ribbon.

Brooklynd, age 6, hitting our home-made Pinata

After you get it taped, using a hole punch, place holes about 2 inches apart across the top of the bag, about an inch from the top edge. Weave the string or ribbon thru the holes leaving about a foot of string on each end. Tie the ends together to make a handle on top of the pinata. This pinata can be made the day of the party and be drying while the party goers are eating and doing gifts, or it can be made in the days before the party. Finally...... hang up your Pinata!!


 I hope you enjoy my directions for an easy DIY Pinata
Photos by Thru My Eyes Photography

Tips for Planning Your Child's Birthday Party!

 Tips for Planning a Kids Birthday Party!

Invitations should be sent out 2 weeks before the date of the party. Sooner if possible.

Plan With Your Child ~ Not For Your Child

• No little kid wants to have a birthday party that momma planed and they didn't like! Let your child help you make decisions. It'll be fun for the both of you!
• Make sure the child gets to help you pick out the party's theme. Along with the games and activities.
• Letting the birthday girl/boy decorate their own party invitations makes them feel useful and important. They'll feel very proud of their design and enjoy handing the invitations out to family and friends even more. If they're to young to write clearly, you can do the writing while they do the decorating or help you with the design. For Example : Cut out pictures and glue onto blank invitations and let him or her color, or add some stickers.

Integrate the Theme

• Once you choose a theme, make it run through every portion of the party.
• For Example : A Pirate Party may have Boat Shaped finger sandwiches, eye-patch party favors, along with napkins/decorations with skull and cross-bones. Or a Princess Party with flower cookies, Tiara party favors, you can lean a tall mirror against a wall have a basket of dress up clothes and let the girls do the rest!!
• Have a Guest Book where everyone (parents of small children or older kids)can sign and put their phone number along with adress so they can recieve a Thank You Card and be invited to the next party.

Keep it Short and Stick to plans

• Keep the kids busy from the time they get there till the time they leave.
• The "Main Event" should start as soon as all or most of the guest have arrived. (Main Event can be any Special activity, pinata, Etc.)
• Food and Cake is best served in the last hour so no one gets sick during activities.
• 2 hours is a good length for a children's party of any age.
• You can tale when the party is comming to a natural end when the youngest guest start getting ill and sleepy!

Plan Activities around Age of Guests

• Don't pick games with hard directions that would either be hard to understand or take to long to learn.
• Toddlers are to young to do alot of games that older kids enjoy doing, plan your games around the age of the birthday kid and his or her guests. If there are 1 or 2 young kids and the others are older, have an activity just for the younger ones so they can enjoy the party as well.
• Try Familiar games like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, or maybe a treasure hunt if they match your party theme.
• Kids over 5 (school age) need more excitement than toddlers. You can hire a magician or dance teacher or take the party to a bowling ally or something of that nature. (Cheaper options below)

Entertain Kids with Simple Activities

• Being Creative comes natural to children. Why not bring it to the party??
• You don't have to spend alot of money to entertain any age kids, use your imagination: For Example using "Carnival Style" activities, with or without the carnival theme. Meaning having more than one activity going on at a time, a small group of kids at each activity table.
• Have kids decorate their own cookies or cupcakes.
• Fill buckets with crayons/colored pencils, stickers, stamps to decorate party crowns/hats or scrapbook pages.
• Have bowls of buttons, colored sand, glitter, other small crafting supplies to glue on plain picture frames. If you have a digital camera and able to print out pictures you can send each guest home with a picture from the party to remember the fun they had.
• Collect old un-mated socks before the party, let the kids decorate them and make sock puppets, They can put on a Puppet Show. (If your able to video-tape the puppet show, it would make a great keepsake)
• A Disney party can have ~ 1 activity where Captain Hook's Treasure is hidden from Peter Pan in sand and the kids get to keep what they find; While at another table kids can be making Princess tiaras for girls and Prince crowns for boys. You can have 3 or 4 activities going on at one time depending on how many guests you have. Set a time limit at each table/stand and switch to make sure every child gets to do every activity. Any unfinished craft can be taken home to complete.

Themetastic Simple Food

• Keep the food simple but don't forget your pick theme!
• Use cookie cutters to shape sandwiches to match the party theme.
• Use cookie cutters on Jello for a jiggly treat
• Make finger foods small enough for small hands.
• Don't have any food that needs to be cut
• Make a Monkey Platter of snack foods like different fruit sliced up; crackers with cheese, jelly or peanut-butter; nuts or raisins or veggies (Check for food allergies in the guests)
• To keep kids busy while waiting for the food to be served, cover the table with paper and have buckets or flower pots of crayons in the center.

Birthday Cake Fun

• A good time to serve cake is after the food, within the last 45 minutes of the party. 
• Once the cake is cut, serve the youngest kids first. (They don't like take good to waiting!!)
• Cupcakes are a good choice because it lets all the kids be served together, you can put one candle in each cupcake, if wanted.
• If you use cupcakes, have a small personal cake or a larger cupcake for the birthday girl/boy so they can feel special. Try setting they at the head of the table, if possible.

The Decision of Gifts ~ "To Open or Not to Open"

• Before you decide if your child is going to open the gifts during or after the party; There are 2 questions to ask: What are the ages of the party guest?? & How many people are coming?
• For younger kids, a lot of parents think it's best to wait til after the party to open gifts due to other children having a melt down and/or getting jealous of the presents.
• Older kids (school age, including kindergarten) seem to understand that the party is for the birthday boy/girl and they are the one who gets the presents.
• Most kids are okay with watching the presents being opened, some part is due to knowing that everyone will have party favors!
• If the party has alot of guests and the gift pile is quite large, then opening all the gifts can be tiresome and kids may get bored and want to stop unwrapping and play with what they have already. If thats the case, then waiting til after the party is very reasonable.
• If you have a small party and a small amount of gifts then opening them in the last half hour of the party would make a great way to slow the party down as guest start to head home.

The Parting Treat ~ Goodie bags

• Stick to the party theme when making the goodie bags.
• You can add bubbles, toy jewelry, stickers, small notebooks, etc.
• Make sure all the items in the bags are safe and age-appropriate.
• Get creative with what you put the goodies in. It don't have to be a bag. For example ~ Use small pocket books/cloth bags for girlie parties, Chinese Food Take-Out boxes, A large hand-towel with art supplies folded up inside for Art or Pool parties, etc.
• Add guest's names on the Goodie "Bags" to add importance.

Thank You Cards

• If everyone signed a Guest Book, or if you know everyone's address; Your child can write Thank You Notes for enjoying the party with them and for their presents. If your child is to young to write the notes, they can help you decorate them while you do the writing.
• Thank You notes should be sent out within the week after your child's party.

Fun Facts!!!
May 22nd is the least common Birth Date other than February 29th
August is the most common birth month!!!
The most common Birth Date is October 5th! (The Day before mine!!)

Written by Autumn Banks

References from MarthaStewart.com