And we have survived to tell about it.

Here’s what we’ve learned:

1. Limit the birthday party to 1.5 hours.  That’s 90 minutes to keep the adorables moving, entertained and happy.  And that’s plenty.

2. Keep the decorations to a minimum.  While I certainly appreciate the staged photos of birthday parties with matching, themed everything, I feel like the adorables, frankly, could care less.  And that’s a lot of energy and expense wasted.

3.  Consider purchasing a bounce house in lieu of a very pricey rental.  (In our area, the purchase price = the rental!  Hmmm… one rental vs. about 80 uses – that’s a no-brainer to me.)

4. I find drop-off parties (ie no parents) work the best.  The parents appreciate the 1.5 hours of free time and I feel I can manage their adorables better without them there (should I not admit to this??).

5.  While everyone arrives, have a craft ready until you’re ready to start your main activity or games.  It’s always something different: can be a build-it project, a bead project, or this year I just undid a huge roll of white paper and had the adorables decorate it with markers.  Count this as 15 minutes.

6.  I “borrowed” this idea from Marykate: In lieu of gorgeously decorated cake (again, pricey!), set up a “Decorate Your Own Cupcake” center.  Ideas for toppings: 2-3 different types of frosting, sprinkles, red hots, M&Ms, colored sugars, gummy bears, etc.  Warning: This is a MESS.  Do this outside and have everything disposable so you can just tie up the paper tablecloth and throw it all away.  Count this also as 15 minutes.

7. Find a friend with a similar birthday and “share” the party.  We’ve gotten away from this the last few years and I think it’s time for a return.

Here are other party ideas we’ve done in the past:

Birthday Party, Heidi – style

Olympic Themed Party (scroll to the middle)

And don’t forget about Group Gifting for the Adorables

Okay, spill your beans: what’s worked for you?  How do you keep your costs down?

I was lucky enough to know the great Peggie O’Neill. I say great because as a mother, businesswoman, writer and humanitarian she left a lasting legacy and accomplished a tremendous amount during her life, most of it in service to others. She was a woman of presence and grace who truly walked the talk. Her enthusiasm was contagious. She died over a year ago to cancer, but her work and teachings continue on in her book “Juggle without Struggle”.

When I think of Peggie, she is smiling and laughing despite any hardship she faced in her life which were many. She unlocked the great mystery of how to experience true peace and gratitude despite what life threw her way. The central idea of the book is that as women we all face different challenges and struggles, some more than others. Struggles are a part of life and the human experience. We cannot, despite our best efforts avoid them and so the question becomes how do we continue on despite sometimes great difficulties. The answers lie in this book.

They are called the “peace secrets” and are woven throughout fictional stories of mothers facing every day challenges – loss of a job, failing marriage, health issues. I personally grew from reading this book and found that her concepts, when put to work are truly transformative. They are universal truths which provide a road map to peace.

You can purchase Juggle Without Stuggle on amazon.com. To learn more about the story behind the story, visit The Courage of One.

I love Ina Garten. Almost everything I prepare is from one of her cookbooks. I love her simplicity and presentation, and frankly all her recipes just taste so good. This is one of my favorites, her herbal ice tea. My family now expects this at family gatherings especially during the summer months. And there is no caffeine so the little ones can enjoy. Cheers to a great summer!

My Barefoot Contessa cookbooks – the picture is a framed card from a dear friend.

It reads “do what you love and love what you do”. Framer.

Ingredients:
4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea bags
4 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags
4 cups pure apple juice

Directions:
Steep the 8 tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Combine the tea with the apple juice and refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice. Enjoy!

Today, we’re headed to Hollywood Hills, CA.  Nestled in the Santa Monica mountains, this neighborhood is just 7 square miles of hills.

I love the old 1920′s and 30′s cottages that have been renovated to embrace that laid-back California lifestyle.

And I found one to share with you…

Built in 1927 (ha!  I wrote the above before - scout’s honor – checking the build date of this.  I nailed it!), this home is funky, yet classic.

The painted slat-style ceiling, splashy bursts of color, and glossy surfaces indicate this California style.

Here’s the traditional style coming through.

Love the red accents with the black walls.  The waist-high white molding and white fabric panels prevent this room from being dark.

Frankly, I’d lose the Spanish floor here in favor of a more modern look (painted? dark wood?).  Kinda wish I could see inside all that storage along the right wall.

This eating nook with its ultra-modern art really works.   Really like this room.

Now the outdoor oasis areas are really going to wow you.

This is #1.

#2

#3

#4 (ka-bam!)

All with a view.  (Sigh)

Listed by Coldwell Banker for $2,999,000. (sorry, I just can’t seem to get out of the millions….)

In case you’re looking for a ‘last minute’ gift idea for Father’s Day (which is only 3 days away!),  here are a few easy ideas I found online.

This FREE printable tree (don’t worry, the new one says 2013) is from  Crafting Chicks. Use your kid’s handprints for the leaves and put in a frame.

You can print this MAD LIBs for dad at Having Fun at Home‘s blog. I’m sure this will make your children laugh hysterically and will make their dad smile!

These tags that say “My Pop Rocks” and “Happy Father’s Day to a Great Pop!” can be added to so many different things, which just require a quick trip to the grocery store – - Pop rocks, pop-it fireworks, soda pop, pop-corn, or Pop-sicles. These can printed (again, for FREE) from The Idea Room.

Here’s one more take on the word ‘pop’ with this adorable printable label from Oopsey Daisy…nutritional info is too cute!!

With a simple google search, or pinterest search can find you a lot of different coupon books to print out and/or fill out, but these ones from Nellie’s Design stole my heart.

I think these props would be fun to print up to capture some pictures with dad and the kids with on Father’s Day. Again, I hear more laughter filling your life! You can find these fun printables at Paper Coterie.

Lastly, I had to smile when I read this saying, I hope it makes you smile too…

We have just over a week left of school and so my thoughts are turned to summer. While there is a lot I will miss, the morning gathering at the bus stop before friends are pulled off to work, preschool drop offs and fitness classes. There is a lot I am looking forward to taking a break from and eager to put away until the fall.

The bus stop

Here is my top 10 for Summer 2013

10. no more homework
9. a break from scheduled sports
8. watermelon
7. long days
6. kids running through sprinklers
5. going barefoot
4. peonies, roses, roses, peonies
3. outdoor concerts
2. the freckles that emerge on my children’s nose and cheeks

And the one I am most excited about (drumroll….  can you hear the Halleluiah chorus in the background? I can!)

1. no more lunches to pack!!!!!

That is my summer vacation – lunches! What is yours?

I found this recipe on pinterest over a year ago and we have made it many times since.  I still haven’t convinced my youngest to gobble up the black beans in it, but otherwise, we all love it.

My husband usually scoops this up and rolls it up in tortillas.  The girls and I like to eat it more like a dip, scooping it up with tortilla chips.

Also, for our family of four, I divide this recipe into two 9×9 pans — we eat one right away and I freeze one to eat later! I love cooking once and eating twice!

Here is the original recipe on Tasty Kitchen, but I’ve changed it a little bit, my changes are below (extra corn/extra salsa).

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake

• 2 Chicken Breasts, cooked & shredded
• 4 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups Frozen Corn
• 15 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 4 oz fluid can of green chilis
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, plus extra for topping
• 1 1/2 cups salsa (we like medium)
• (optional) tortillas and/or corn chips

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the sour cream and cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with extra cheese if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.

Doesn’t get much easier than this! Mix, bake, enjoy!

Really, really good.

Join me in a tour of her new jaw-dropper in Rhode Island.

Set on the highest point on Watch Hill, Rhode Island among 5 acres, this home has more than 700 feet of Atlantic beachfront.

The home, at 11,000 square feet, is obviously large.

Built in 1930, it has 7 bedrooms and 9 baths.

Very traditional New England here.

And those views!

I’m interested to see how Taylor adds her youth to these rooms – or will she leave it as is?

Love this stone balcony.

Oh, and the view.

There’s Taylor’s new home over there from the beach. Hello!

Here’s the nitty-gritty: this home was originally listed for $24 million.  Taylor reportedly paid $17 million cash for the estate.  You might remember that she bought a home on Cape Cod whilst she was dating a Kennedy, but she flipped that home (for a profit) in November.

So, what do you think?

Source: Zillow Blog

Last year, when my daughter turned 11, she wanted to do a backyard camping party.  It was a really fun time for her and her friends, so I thought I’d share the idea with you, in case you have some summer birthdays at your house to celebrate!

First, the highlight — the s’more birthday cake…

Isn’t it adorable? Homemade graham crackers baked on cookie sheets, one round cake for the middle marshmallow, and 5.5 giant chocolate bars! Wish I could take credit for this, but our good friend made it for us!

We also decorated flashlights (we used vinyl clings, cut out with cricut machine, but you could use stickers too)…

Then we used the  flashlights to have a treasure hunt in the dark (I attached glow sticks to the clues to make it a little easier to find them once they got the right location).

And of course we had campfire fun. Opening presents by the campfire after dark. And then we made s’more cones.  Need more ideas for campfire fun? Click here.

And of course, the tent…

This is the morning after. I slept with my window open and could still hear them giggling at 5am.  One of the girls with a cell phone called me at some point in middle of night to make sure there was no one outside of the tent. Great fun was had by all!

If you want any more pictures, or highlights, you can see them by clicking here.