Plan Your Next Birthday Party with Oriental Trading

Whether you are planning a child's birthday party or an adults, Oriental Trading has everything you need for your party!

We have two boys and two girls, and in the mix of those four, two of them share birthdays--yes, we have a boy and girl that are twins! And those twins share a birthday month with another sibling! Matter of fact our youngest child was born four days before the twins first birthday! So yes, it is a very interesting week in our home!

The twins celebrating their 10th birthday!

Oriental Trading has everything you need to decorate and help you plan your child's birthday. From wall decorations, streamers, games and even candles for the top of your cake!

Sweet smiles or are the wheels turning for the next mischievous things these two can come up with!

I'll stick to thinking sweet smiles...for now!

I can only remember two birthday parties as a child, on with just family---and I was the only child, the rest were adults--I was the only child! But I can remember my Mom, Aunt and Grandmother playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey for what seemed liked hours---I always tried to cheat, by holding my head back in hopes that I could see under the bandanna! 

Oriental Trading has "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" and many other games for any birthday parties. They also have "themed" games, that will go with whatever theme you choose for your birthday party.

Sporting her Little Mermaid birthday cup!

Whether you are celebrating one birthday or multiples, boy or girl themed parties, Oriental Trading has everything you need for the party to be a success. Choose your party invites, decorations, party supplies, cake toppings, games or more all from one location without leaving the comfort of your home...and make sure you keep an eye out for free shipping from Oriental Trading too, they offer that a lot!



Disclosure: I was given product to help facilitate this post.  Read my disclosure policy here.

Jazz up that Ice Cream with Fruit

When we buy ice cream, we normally buy vanilla. With vanilla ice cream you can jazz it up nicely with fruit (strawberries and bananas are my husband's favorites!), chocolate or caramel syrups; what ever your like!

If you add fruit, that makes the ice cream healthy, right? LOL!

Ice cream is great for a hot summer day (however it might melt) or as a right before you go to bed snack!

What toppings do you put on your ice cream?
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I normally do not get into things like this, but.....

I normally do not get into things like this, but.....I have looked a few times for my name and have not found it! Rebecca is a pretty common name, but obviously not for these Coke bottles!

Have you found your name?

Our Pathetic Fruit Bowl

The Story of Luke

Believe it or not my husband had to talk me into having children---I know most women want them and I wanted a child---eventually. My husband would say, "Becca wouldn't it be cute having a little two year old walk up to you and ask for some cheerios?" While my husband would say this to me, he would talk it in a little child's voice. My husband's cute voice worked and we found out we were expecting on my husband's birthday!

Well, 18 years later that little foot pictured above has turned into a size 11 and eating steak instead of cheerios!

Here is the story of Luke:

This time 18 years ago, I was very pregnant, blood pressure was on the rise and our first baby was due in three days. My doctor wanted me to try to go in to labor on my own. He suggested I try to 'walk' myself into labor, and if that didn't work try eating a lot of food, thinking that might trigger something. (got to love a doctor like that!)

I walked and walked and ate and ate, but to no avail, still no baby. With this being our first child, I really wanted to go into labor on my own, but this baby and The Lord had other plans!

The next morning, (7:00AM) October 31st, we checked into the hospital, got settled into our room and I was on cloud nine---I just knew that we would be holding our baby boy by the end of the day. The doctor and nurses came in to check on me; I remember the doctor saying,"Looking good---let's have this baby today." I just smiled and thought Sure! I remember telling my husband, I think I should be in some sort of pain, or something if we were having this baby anytime soon---at least that is what happens on the TV! I was so naive, first baby and didn't have a clue what to expect!

At 10:00AM the nurses come back in and tell me things are fixing to start rolling! Huh, What? Wait a minute....first time doing this; what does that mean, still in no pain, and things are suppose to start rolling?

Within the next five minutes, the doctor comes in, breaks my water, squeezed my big toe and says, "Now the fun begins!" Oh the things I remember. :)

I had decided with our first baby, I wanted to go natural (no pain meds!) At about 11:15AM I had my first intense contraction, and wondered why I decided on no pain meds! Most of the afternoon was intense (but fun) with my hubby right by my side.

There were several friends and relatives in and out of the room all afternoon----I was told there was a big party going on in the waiting room; all waiting for Lucas' arrival.

At 4:00PM I was having one contraction after another---only a few seconds apart.

At 4:20PM Lucas was born. I got to hold him for a few minutes before the nurses took him to clean him up, weigh him, etc... Before that moment I had never experienced anything like that before---a love that only a mother and a child could experience.

at 6 months

The saying time flies is so true, I remember this birth like it was yesterday. 

::A note to Lucas: (because I know that he will be reading this)

Dear Son, 

Happy birthday a few hours early. I cannot believe that you are turning 18. WOW! Your daddy and I are so proud of the young man that you have become! I love you! 

~Love your favorite Mom! 

Happy 18th birthday!!!

The Story of Hope

After giving birth to our twins in mid July, my husband and I found out that we were expecting baby number four the Monday before Thanksgiving of the same year! We were thrilled!

Our due date was July 28th, but seriously what baby comes on their due date (maybe some, but none of ours listened!)

July 15th was a Wednesday and I went to church as usually and knew something was not right every time I bent over to sit down or stand up during our song service I was losing fluid--I knew that my water had not broken, because there was no gush of anything, but I was losing something! I called the clinic and the doctor on call said it was probably nothing or just that the baby sitting on my bladder---Seriously! I knew better, so the next morning I went in to be checked and sure enough, there was a small tear in the baby's sac, in other words I was in labor!

The doctor wanted us to 'rush' right to the hospital---I thought yeah right! We had three little ones at home that we had to make arrangements for and it was bill paying day. So we went home and made a few phone calls, went and paid bills, and I went grocery shopping. I know what you are thinking, but these things 'had' to be done, or so I thought!

It was a little after 1PM and I still was not in any pain, but my husband and I thought we might as well go ahead and go to the hospital.

We said goodbye to our children Luke (2 1/2 yrs.) Seth and Hannah (our twins, 4 days from being 1 year old) and the grandparents.

When we pulled into the hospital parking lot, several of our friends had beat us to the hospital; which I found hilarious, but they did not.

We got signed in, taken up to "The Floor" and there were no beds for us. So we sat on some very uncomfortable stools behind the nurses station. So far I was still in no pain. As we sat there for the next three hours, we listened to women scream, fathers hollering for the doctor's and a bunch of other stuff---lol!

Around 5:30PM there was finally a room available and we finally got to go get ready for the delivery. They hooked me up to all the monitors, the doctor checked me and he told us that this was going to be a long night, because I wasn't making much progress at all---and I still was not in any pain.

The doctor left and I got out of bed to go to the bathroom, hollered for my husband to come quick FIRST LABOR PAIN and it was VERY INTENSE!

Things started to move fast, and it was time to push, the nurse asked what names we had picked out, I said, "Hope Elizabeth." Right after that, I had another labor pain, and the nurse began talking to my husband and the conversation went like this:
Nurse: So you are having a girl?
Husband: We are having a baby, not sure if it's a boy or girl
Me: The baby is a girl (spoken during the contraction--so all you moms know exactly how this was said!)
Nurse: Oh, I see
Husband: Every time we had an ultrasound, the baby would not cooperate and we never found out.
Me: It's a GIRL! My gut feel tells me it's a girl!

We had no boy names picked out, so this baby had to be a girl!

It was 9:20PM, the doctor said to push with all I had and Hope Elizabeth was born! She had a head full of black and weighed 9 pounds 4 ounces!

Big brother waiting up to meet the newest addition to our family Hope Elizabeth.

Hope turned 15 this week!

And this is the Story of Hope!

My 10,000th Post, Dedicated to the Man I love!

For my 10,000th post I thought about doing another freebie post, I thought about dedicating it to my fabulous readers, you all know how much I love chatting with you each day---so, this post is dedicated to my husband.

I love this man so much, not only is he a great husband and daddy, but he puts up with my hours of blogging, my excitement over your comments, he listens to my greatest shopping experiences, he listens to me put my coupon scenarios together, he fixes the computer when something goes wrong, so I can get back to you quicker with more fabulous deals, he gives me ideas on my next blog post...and my list could go on and on...:)

So this 10,000th post is dedicated to him, I Love you babe!
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Keeping the "R" in Romance

My husband and I will celebrate 19 years of marriage in a few months and I wanted to share some things that we do for each other that has kept that "R" in our romance.

I am sure there are a ton of other things that I can list but here are a few ways that we keep romance in our marriage.

1. Say I love you--say it, text it, email it

2. Kiss--we like to kiss, most people tend to kiss in the morning when leaving for work and when they get home from work, but do it unexpectedly like in the middle of a football game, before you put the kids down, at church, etc...

3. Write a love note and give to your spouse or stick a note in his/her lunch and tell them to have a great day.

4. Buy them a gift--something small, maybe his favorite chocolate and give it to him right before bed or stick it in his lunch bag with a little sticky note with words of encouragement, or better yet, write something steamy on it. My husband gave me 6 yellow roses a couple of nights ago, for no reason--other than he loves me.

5. Give your spouse a neck rub or back massage---or better yet a foot massage.

6. Have candles lit in the bedroom, and leave the electric lights off!

7. Prepare his favorite meal or dessert

8. Constantly surprise each other---you know your spouse best, so surprise them: out to dinner, do the dishes for them, overnight trip, take the kids to a baby sitters and spend the night alone, go shopping together, grab a coffee together, etc...this list can go on and on.

9. Hold hands--my husband and I still hold hands whether at home or out in public, when we sit by each other, he will always put his arm around me (until his arm falls asleep!) (OY!)

10. Forgive One Another and make up like there is no tomorrow!
*Early in our marriage my husband and I would sometimes argue over different things (yes, I know we were very immature), but "loved" making up afterwards. We do not argue anymore (there's no point in it), so every now and then one of us will say, "Want to go make up?"

How are some of the ways that you have kept the romance in your marriage? I would love to know...Leave a comment below.

Photo credit
This is linked to:
Upsidedownhomeschooling
ToLoveHonorandVacuum
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One of Our Favorite Family Christmas Traditions

When my husband was a little child, every Christmas Eve his family would go to his Grandmother's house for Christmas. I am sure the thought of what Christmas presents was on his mind, but so was the eggnog. For as long as he can remember his Grandmother would make her famous eggnog on Christmas Eve.

While were were dating and our first few years of marriage, I can remember Grandmother having it in her pretty, crystal bowl and would always serve your first glass--if you wanted more you got it yourself.

As years past on, her grandchildren begin to marry and have families of their own--we still had eggnog.

The recipe has been handed down from generation to generation. I can remember my Mother-in-Law making this same eggnog for years and now my husband makes it.

Our children expect the eggnog every Christmas; it's a tradition that they will not let us forget if we tried!

Sure the eggnog is good--better than any store bought stuff--- but what I enjoy most is watching my husband and children make it and then the taste testing begins; it's just not a sip and then some tweaking, it's several sips, then the tweaking until it's just right. The laughing, the suggestions my children give my husband, the jokes about the RUM (artificial flavoring); just the time we spend together is something as a mom and dad we will will cherish forever.

Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition, if so, I would love to know about it in the comment section below.

Merry Christmas!

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The Birth of our Twins (Born at 32 Weeks!)

Early Friday morning my husband left for work and I returned to bed. I looked over at the clock and the time was 5:15; I rolled over in bed to try to get my 7 month pregnant self comfortable. I took my husband's pillow and pulled it next to myself, closed my eyes and then it happened--I had to go to the bathroom! I rolled over to get out of bed and realized I was in labor.

Panic immediately set in because it was not anywhere close to the twins' due date---I was two months early. I sat on the bed crying and praying, "Please Lord let my babies be OK." I composed my self and went and checked on our 19 month old, whom was sound asleep, called my husband, called the doctor, called my best friend at the time {Mary P}, called my in laws {aka Mammaw and Pappaw}.

I wasn't really in any pain yet, only my water had broke up to this point-- so I jumped into the shower, my husband made it home while I was in the shower and immediately wanted to know what I was doing! I thought it was kinda obvious, but I went ahead and answered him, "I'm taking a shower." He was in a panic and told me there was no time for a shower and lets go. So I got dressed and we left for the hospital.

As we were getting signed into the hospital, labor came on fast--I was hurting. Trying to sign my name on the dotted line was hard to do during a contraction! We finally got to our room and the doctor was able to run a test on one of the babies' lungs to see is they were developed and thankfully they were. The twins were in two different sacs, and my water had only broken with one of the babies; so the doctor could not tell if the other baby's lungs were developed or not. So they gave me some medicine to stop labor and shot me full of steroids hoping that this would help developed the other baby's lungs if they were not developed.

This was at 7:30AM on Friday morning.

My labor did stop and I actually felt fine other than the worry that loomed in my head.

I could not eat, I could only have water and ice chips or hard candy to suck on---I wasn't really too hungry, or so I thought until our friends Frank and Candy R. came to visit us and brought a gift bag full of butter scotch and peppermints. Best 'food' I have ever eaten!

The hours were passing slowly, we had a lot of visitors and received several phone calls. I felt like I needed to be doing something for my babies { I realize now, I was doing a lot for them by resting and staying off my feet and letting the medicine do its job}.

From 3PM on Friday, we didn't see the doctor again until Sunday at NOON--the nurses would still come in and check on us and change out the IV bag, and the machines that I was hooked up too.

At NOON on Sunday, two doctors came in and things started to move very fast, I was hearing everything that they were saying, but my brain was stuck on their words, "Let's get you ready to meet your Babies!" I'm thinking I am not ready, my babies are not ready IT IS TOO EARLY!

Scared to death for my babies, praying that they would be OK, they wheeled me off to labor and delivery, did a spinal block, preformed a C-Section and at 1:03PM Seth Michael was born and at 1:04 PM Hannah Marie was born.

They both came out crying--joy to my ears!

Because they were early I didn't get to see them right away, the nurses and NICU doctor and nurses were checking them out, so I told my husband to go take their pictures and after a few minutes of him being gone, my husband comes back with a big smile on his face saying that both babies are going to be fine, shortly after that the doctors told me the same thing---MY BABIES ARE OK!"

To me, they were so tiny, but for 2 months early they both weigh a little over 4 pounds each! The doctor was very pleased with their weight.

Even though Seth and and Hannah were born two months early they were healthy for the most part. They had to stay in the NICU for 6 days, just so the doctors could monitor their weight and body temperature. They were a little jaundice and had to be given a little sugar---but they were healthy, they were here, they were ours!

Me holding them both for the first time.

Daddy feeding Hannah for the first time

Happy and Thankful parents!

We have them home!

First diaper change at home--look at that tiny little foot!

First time Mammaw and Pappaw holding them at home.

First time in crib together. :)

Big brother helping to feed them...isn't he cute!

First doctor's appointment after we got home.

Seth and Hannah are 17 now!

Whew! Kitchen Cabinet {Stockpile} Cleaned out and Reorganized!

With six pairs of hands in and out of my kitchen cabinets they tend to get very unorganized. So with my children's help, we took everything out and reorganized.

 Before pictures

I know it's a mess, right?

After pictures

Much better!

So, How did those Crockpot Potatoes Turn out?

The crockpot potatoes that I mentioned ealier today ended up being very good! I ended up taking them out of the crockpot, after 4 hours of cooking on high, taking them out of the foil and brushing some olive oil on them, then I sprinkled each one with salt and pepper.

I threw some chicken thighs in the oven to broil, and that is what we had for dinner tonight---very simple!

My husband even made the comment that we needed a second crockpot! :) Of course I agreed!
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Oh Baby, It's Here!

Yippee!

Glad to see that they protected my purchase really well!

I am so excited to have another crockpot!

My plan is to use this alot over the next few weeks. I have several new and easy recipes that I want to try and of course I will be sharing them with you!

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One of the first recipes that I will be making is:

~BBQ APPLE CHICKEN~

Spanish Club or Coffee Drinkers Anonymous?

Our girls love coffee---but we hardly ever let them have it. A few weeks back our children were able to go on a ministry trip with our church's youth group, and before they left we told the girls they could drink coffee on the trip.

Since they have been back, our youngest daughter has been talking about the delicious creamer that they had for their coffee while on this trip; so this morning we decided to let them have coffee while doing Spanish.

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Somebody's been Sleeping in my Chair!

With red clay all over him! hmmm!

I love it!

My oldest son went into a certain store to get Bar S Franks, they should have been 99 cents and with coupon 49 cents each after coupon. So he got 10 packages of them, took them to the check out lane and they rang up $1.50 each.

He told the cashier that the price was wrong (per the ad) but she wouldn't budge! So he politely said he did not want them. Her reply, "You do not want any of them?" He said, "No" and offered to put them back, but she told him that she would take care of it.
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Just Cashed in on an EVERSAVE , and Bought a size Smaller

I have no remorse, at least not yet!

I had purchased a clothing EVERSAVE voucher a little over a month ago and decided to take advantage of it today...since the site is offering free shipping today.

My husband and I are going to the beach this summer, by ourselves! So I decided to buy clothes for that; I bought a size smaller.

By now you all know that my husband and I have joined Weight Watchers and we have both lost some weight, he more than me, but that's beside the point.

Anyways, a couple of weeks ago we went shopping and I was trying on "my size" and it was too big. Happy dance happened right there in that dressing room!

So while I was placing my order this morning, I decided to get brave and order another size smaller. I still have several weeks before our trip so I am hoping---- nope not hoping, I am going to do it!

I'll let you know if when I succeed.

So, off to the gym I go!
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Whew, What a Day!

Whew! What a day!

Started out the day with my hubby, we were awakened by the beeping sound of a low battery in one of our smoke detectors at 4:21AM! Finally went back to sleep around six, just to have to get up at 7:00.

We went to our meeting, then went shopping, got some great deals. My husband got carried away in the tie section at Belk ( which had an awesome sale today! )

Next, my husband and the boys went and played golf; the girls and I went to do girly things, shopped some more and ended up at CVS to 'buy' some more free deodorant.

Think I will turn in now, CVS and the Walgreen's deals will be posting after midnight.

Sweet dreams to some of my favorite people in the world.
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Surprise in my Microwave

While my youngest daughter was warming up some left over baked oatmeal, she opened the microwave to stir it and found it like this! Weird huh?

These bowls are old, 17 years old to be exact! We have used these in the microwave many, many times over the year, so I am not sure why it broke in half. We didn't hear a loud "pop" or 'bang' so go figure. Any ideas?
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Good Bye 2010

At the beginning of 2010 I decided to keep a record of what we would have spent, what we did spend, and the savings---oh the savings!

The totals include all grocery store shopping and all drugstore shopping.

Total before sales and coupons: $8,016.32
Total Spent $2,397.16
Total Saved $5,619.16

I have never kept up with our yearly totals before and I was pleasantly surprised (okay ecstatic) when I realized that we saved a little over $5,600 on groceries and household items.

How did you do this year, leave a comment below and let us know.
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This post is linked to:
Southern Savers
Frugal Follies