So...my birthday is approaching! February is my FAVORITE month. Not because of my birthday but. It just sounds pretty "February". I love the way it rolls off the tongue! Valentine's day...need I say more?!

This year I wanted to do 35 Random Acts of Kindness...spread the cheer a bit. BUT I would really like to have YOU involved too! Would you join me?!!


Click HERE for the printable version.

I am doing 1 a day and then on my birthday (February 25th!) I will be doing the last 11. I am not going in any order...just what I feel like doing that day. Doing something nice for a kiddo...is for each of my kiddos! When you do one, link it up to the hashtag #Aleishas35RAOK

Today I tipped the waiter the same amount as my bill. The look on his face was priceless! I will be adding the tags below so they can check in too! Hoping they will post when received/found!


Wanna use them too? Click HERE to print and attach!

I am over here batting my eyelashes and saying "pretty please...won't you join me?" Let's spread some love this February!!

Nothing like finding an abandoned folder of pictures from last year's birthday party! I have to admit though I was 3 months pregnant at the time (meaning I was sicker than a dog...then times that by 10!) so most of the pictures turned out awful and I have only a small amount of clear ones! BUT the cake is something you don't wanna miss! This was the year I made the mistakes of having our white carpets cleaned a few days before the party. Then. The frosting on the cupcakes were dark...blue. The picture above my son is cleaned up! He was officially a smurf! Oh the fun memories though! And yes, my carpet still has stains in a few areas from tumbling cupcakes!


Because I was pregnant I decided I wanted to do a combo birthday and also Ava Faith and Noah are a mere 2 weeks apart the thought of doing 2 parties in 1 month made me squirm! They were fine with this and helped me come up with the theme. Ava Faith being all frill decided she wanted a pink bow on her cake and I loved the idea of a Tiffany blue cake!


Noah picked out mustaches and helped them come up with a very "masculine" looking cake. It was stachetastic!


I kept it very simple. And the kids loved it! We served up lots of food. There were lots of laughed and plenty of memories!


But the number one thing we will never forget...the frosting!

Well alas, I mustache!

I have to fess up to something...I procrastinated this year due to sickness in our home (thank you back to school cold for wiping out our entire household for almost 3 full weeks!!) I felt so horribly that I had to force myself to prepare my sweet Mushy's 3rd birthday...literally days before! Thankfully I had my trusty little black notebook where I write/draw out all my ideas! We had SUCH a great time! I am very happy with how it turned out!


I ran about 100 different ideas by my 3 year old and when she agreed to a Fall themed party the ideas were easy! My sweet friend Andrea actually thought of adding the owls in and I am thrilled with her suggestion! I didn't want a traditional orange, brown Fall party. But instead wanted to bring in lots of bright colors with turquoise, pink and yellows.

I coupon-ed my table cloths and got them 100% free! The pink party plates were on clearance at Target for 59c each pack! The little pumpkins I found at Joannes on clearance and the leaves/acorns we had so we tossed them around the table. Ava Faith found the glasses at Target and we decided to use those instead of party hats! They were so funny to see on the kids! I bought toss and go cups from Target and instead of using the straws that come with them used fun paper straws. The lanterns were a Michael's find and bought fake candles at the Dollar store. Ava Faith found 2 different owls on clips that we attached to each lantern!

The little containers holding snack mix (gummy worms, teddy grahms, kettle corn, candy corn and animal crackers) were in the Red Spot at Target (did you know its not called the Dollar spot?!)

I found tissue paper at World Market in orange and Tiffany blue that I made the hanging puff balls out of. The fanned out circles I used a special Martha Stewart tool from Michael's which you would use to make cards! Attached is sparkly "3" stickers. I hung from the ceiling with bakers twine. I bought the log for the cake stand from Michael's (They are $14.99 and I used a 40% off coupon) The moss table runner was also from Michael's ($7.99 and again used a 40% off coupon) I found the pumpkin glass dish at Target years ago but see them every year! I LOVE it! I use it every year!! The dip is Pumpkin Dip that you use apples to scoop it up...my fave is actually dipping pineapple in it! SO good! In the pitcher we served Honey Crisp apple juice that I put ice and cinnamon sticks into! We had mason jars on hand for adults to drink from! The cupcakes are homemade. I used a box of chocolate cake mix and I add a small box of chocolate pudding (dry...just dump in and make cake batter normal!) then made homemade chocolate frosting. The paper cup liners are from Joannes and they have so many different options its incredible!

AND NOW...the moment you all wait for...the cake! I was really worried when I went to my normal bakery I use (Lambs Thriftway in Wilsonville, OR) and my cake designers were not there!! You see, I am a snob and I only trust 2 people to make my cakes a reality!! They exceed my "plan" every time! I am so blessed to have Gus and Ryan share their talents with me! I wanted Tiffany blue, pink, chevron print a realistic owl with a bow in her hair (my girls ALWAYS have bows in their hair!). I wanted it to correspond with the Fall theme but be girly and sweet too. The cake even had sparkle too it! Its PERFECT! Tasted delish! We went with lemon poppy-seed with raspberry filling for this one...and I am sure you are dying to know just as we were, what the owl is made of. Are you ready?! CAKE! Can you believe it?! White cake with butter-cream filling! It was divine!

There you have it! A Fall themed birthday fit for my princess! Each guest took home a pumpkin as a party favor from the "pumpkin patch" out back! We played toss the ball into the pumpkin (which became stand over the pumpkin and drop the ball inside!) and had a grand time playing in the leaves! Our craft was decorating little cardboard pumpkins. It was simple, completely stress free and just perfect! Have a blessed day!!

Leave it to my kids to when asked what theme they would like their party to be...they choose 2! Well, originally my little man chose 3 but I told him 2 was all mama could handle! Normally I take a bit and really sit and plan the whole thing out...decorations, food...the whole mamba jamba. But this year, that just wasn't possible. So I planned his party a week in advance! If I can do it...you can do it to! To save myself some time I sent an "event" invite through Facebook. Due to the size of parties we normally have, the growing capacity of our house hold and the small sardine like living space we coral in...we had to start letting our kids invite just their friends only. This is still a hard lump for me to swallow!


For the header of the "event" I simply took my super hero out to the front porch. Stood on a chair and snapped a few simple shots looking down at him! I then went to Picmonkey (where I edit ALL my photos!) and under "crop photo" I cropped it down to the facebook timeline size (now you see how I do my header as well!) I also made an actual invite...which I to be honest never got out in the mail! BUT I will print one out for his baby book...last section of the baby book {sob}.


The week of his party I had a baby shower (hope to show you soon!) and orders galore for Bliss Baby Designs. So I had to get crafty...quick! I posted out on my Get er Gone site an ISO (in search of) for old comic books...emphasis on CHEAP! I lucked out and a sweet gal sold me 3 of them for $1 each. They were from the 90's so they had a nice aged look to them as well! AND she was nice enough to go through and make sure I got the ones with little to no guns in them! Talk about a super hero!

I used the comic books and made an easy bunting to hang up above (its now going in his room!) I simply punch holes in the corners and strung bakers twine through it! SO easy! I found pictures on pages that I liked the most before cutting. I couldn't find poof balls pre-made in the colors I wanted so I made my own using tissue paper. Its really simple...take an entire package of tissue paper (use higher quality than dollar store!! Trust me!) fold it accordion style. Then cut you ends at a point. Wrap wire around the center of it so it is nice and tight and then you will slowly pull out sheet by sheet the paper till you have a perfectly round poof ball! I found the dino sign at Target in their red spot up front for $3! The balloon wreath was from one of my best friends! She said "why make it, when I already have!" I love her! I then made signs up on Picmonkey (a closer look at the one on the wreath is below) and stapled them on here and there!


I bought striped scrap book paper from Michael's as "place mats" for each spot. Used dinosaur napkins and super hero plates. Blue mason jars as glasses with fun paper straws found at Target. Party hats from Target, Super hero suckers (tootsie pop...make a paper cape and cut out a mask from shimmery sticky foam paper!) a super hero tattoo and everyone's favorite...the Super Dino's! Noah and I found the fabric at Joannes and simply KNEW we had to do something with it! I then got the idea to make capes for each dinosaur! I searched high and low for dino's and then a friend ordered them for me off of Amazon. We had them in 2 days! I eye balled cutting caps and they turned out fabulous!!



 I kept the food simple this time since we were having a 2:00 party. I found spider man fruit snacks (that was a given!), I made a dip and had chips. And then Noah's favorite snack mix (has animal cookies, goldfish, teddy grahams, pretzel sticks and more mixed together!) We served the snack mix on spider cupcake liners! I used the comic book to attach a bit to the candle holder I used for a silverware container! Found a dino table cloth and behind the cake I took shoe boxes...covered them in black construction paper and made yellow "windows". To give it that comic book flair!

I found a really great circle cutter made by Martha Steward at Michael's that made cutting things SO much easier!!

And last...but not least...the cake! As you all know if you have seen any of my other parties I use the same cake designers ALWAYS! Gus and Ryan have been with me through the long haul! From engagement, to wedding to everything in-between! They are so used to us coming in for cakes that they know WHEN to expect me! I love that I can take my ideas into them and they turn them into artwork! I absolutely love them! And their cakes taste delicious!!

The party was simple, yet fun! We had the kids play outside at the beginning of the party and then brought them inside for snacks and a craft (I found wooden dinosaurs at the Dollar Store they decorated with puff balls, glitter glue, crayons, googly eyes and stickers). Ava Faith is already counting down the days to her party! I think they had fun! Have a blessed day!

For Emily Grace's 5th birthday she had but 2 requests...it be bubble gum pink and rainbow themed! I had to stop and think about this one a bit! Then the ideas started to flood in and I let her get involved with the process!

First thing we did was make the birthday candle!


Then because my girl loves sparkles she picked out a bag of sequins and we decided to decorate a medium sized wooden #5 that we bought at Joanne's Fabrics. We used the same glitter glue and coated the wood in sections. With each section we dumped on sequins until it was finished!

I used the number to set up against a picture I made. I typed out the meaning of Emily and then all of the versus from the bible that contained "grace". I put it on a bubble gum pink background and it now hangs on her wall in her bedroom!


For the cake table I bought bubble gum pink fabric to use as a table cloth (and then use for sewing later!). I then took different colors of streamers and cut them out to create a rainbow in each entry way. Emily Grace had fun drawing out "clouds" on white card stock that I then cut out and strung amongst the "rainbow"!


The cake is probably my favorite part of the party to design! I know I only have so many years where they will let me take charge so I take advantage! I have an amazing cake designer I work with. I come up with the design and he makes it come to life! I have yet to be disappointed!


I made the cupcakes myself. I will not lie the rainbows seemed much easier than they actually were! I had to drive to different candy stores before I actually found the sour leather for the rainbows! And each time I formed the rainbow they tried to bow in the center! But in the end I figured out the shorter...the better!


For each party I kinda go crazy with food! Emily Grace picked out 2 different types of jello that I made in little paper cups. We had skittles, my famous meatballs (Costco meatballs, grape jelly and BBQ sauce...cook in crock pot and they are delish!) I also made "rice krispy treats" with fruity pebbles! OH MY WORD! They are the best! If you haven't...make them! We cut celery and carrots and put ranch in the bottoms of little plastic cups where we then put the veggies inside. So each person could just easily take a cup and dip! We always have a meat/cheese platter and fruit as well. I borrowed a large glass jug that we made a punch in (use Hawaiian punch and 7 up...add ice!)


It was simple yet colorful! She said after wards it was exactly what she wanted!

Now if you ask Mushy (yes...I know she will hate me one day for her nickname! But she is just mushy and sweet! What can I say) or AKA Ava Faith she says she is "Free" as in three today! My little goose is a crack up! Honestly I rarely have moments of insanity with this child! Even at her worst she has me rolling on the ground clenching my stomach with gut wrenching laughter as tears are streaming down my face! She is a comedian! She is sassy...

In honor of my sweet Ava Faith turning 2 THIS Thursday...I am offering 20% off at my shop Bliss Baby Designs (not just for babies or kids lots for moms too!) through Friday 10/26! I am loving this photo taken by my very talented bestie Michelle of Chelletography! Thanks Michelle!

I am so excited that the party is now behind me! I must add that I had my little black book FILLED with ideas...but due to being so sick with this pregnancy I procrastinated and did 98% of it 2 days before the party! This party however became my favorite! We invited only our best friends and family and it was completely relaxing! We were planning an outdoor party but the Wednesday before it decided it would break out 80 day streak of NO rain and...well pour! Go figure! But we improvised and it all paid off! I am excited to share the party favors I made for the kids! I love how they turned out and I put a lot of thought into them! But each part was fairly easy! I made boy ones and girl ones!


I took the Hershey mini candies and I covered each one with scrapbook paper to match our party! I found candy necklaces at Winco that I placed in each box. The army men I found at K-mart. The lip kazoo and ring were in the Halloween section at I think Michael's...but honestly cannot remember! In the little containers I made homemade lip gloss! SUPER easy! I found the containers at the dollar store of all places and was shocked! Normally I search high and low for them! To make the lip gloss mix equal parts Vaseline and koolaid in any flavor! That's it! I used the back of a plastic knife to stir and put in the containers! The mustaches are actually magnets I made out of felt! I found magnets that I could cut in half at Michael's and placed two on each side of the 'stache! I hand drew each mustache out on the brown felt before cutting them out!


The only difference in the girl boxes is I made each girl a bow on a no slip clip! These will be going into my shop later this Fall!

The Gable boxes I found from Somerset Market on Etsy! I LOVE them! I think I will be using them for Emily Grace's this Winter as well! And as I have raved about the lovely and adorable Candice of Hank and Petunia on Etsy designed my favor box labels! Aren't they adorable!? She added a lot of main touches to my party that I am dying to show you SOON!! Very soon!

I tied each box off with co-ordinating raffia I found at World Market and made an exact amount for each shortie to take home!

Welp...its October! Which means I have 2 birthdays to plan out! But this year since I am sick...tired...and just plain preggo I decided to get clever and combine the two munchkins while I get the chance! Noah will be 4 THIS Saturday (he requested a day of the zoo BUT we MUST go on the train and then he would like to go bowling afterwards! When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday he simply replied...candles. So he can blow them out! Done deal dude!) and sweet little Mushy will be 2 on October 25th! I figured it would be one of the few times I can get away with a double party with little to no griping! SO...mama bear sprung into action and the theme is....drum roll please....

The moment I have dying to share with you is FINALLY here! Noah's 3rd birthday was a "tractor" themed party! So there was mainly farm themed stuff BUT I tried to incorporate tractors as well! I am very picky when it comes to parties! I don't want them to be too commercialized or look like I stepped outta Party Depot! I also love the WOW factor of my kids, family and friends and to be honest I have SO much fun seeing how much I can do for as little cost possible!

Are you ready?! Here we go!



You read the post about the whole cake debacle right? The one where the cake crumbled? Well...the cake on the plate (top right of the collage) is the top part of the original cake! We slid it off and placed on a platter we have and figured heck...we can still use that at least! My cake decorators are FAN-freaking-tastic! Oh yes...I love Ryan and Gus! They take my vision and make it real! They pay close attention to detail and always incorporate just a little bit more into my vision! ...now PLEASE ignore the fact the cake on the log is missing a "Y"!! This was the cake Ryan made for me in an hour...yes I said it...an HOUR! (Read Big Birthday Oops!) I borrowed the red Melissa & Doug barn from a friend! The straw bale I purchased (with a coupon!) at Michael's for $6. The log is from my dear friend Brittanie at Cupcakes Kisses n Crumbs as well as the moss roll (see her Lumberjack party! Oh my ADORABLE!). The cupcake stand I purchased at Target years ago...but they still have the same one! Cupcakes were made at Beaverton Bakery in Lake Oswego and Brittanie helped me make the cupcake sticks! One of my favorite decorations I did was the pickle jars I filled with dirt, planted wheat germ inside and then grew my own "grass"! It has been fun for the kids to watch it grow (you can see the roots through the glass!) and when you water it overnight and wake up in the morning there is actually dew drops on the tips of the grass! I kid you not, it is so much fun!




I used my counter top in the kitchen for all the goodies! First we laid down a plastic red tablecloth and then used astro turf (again borrowed from a friend!) to put under the big drink jug that was filled with apple juice! The random jars I called pig pens (see the pigs around the jars!) and inside was chocolate pudding, crushed up thin mints (thank you Girl Scouts!) and a gummy worm! The little cups with celery and carrots have ranch dressing at the bottom this way you can walk and eat! The glass pumpkin dish I got at Target last year and I filled it with the little candy corn type pumpkins! All the farm animals that were placed in between were borrowed from my friend Michelle of Casual Camera. The little scarecrow I found at Target in the Dollar Spot up front as well as the brown metal bins that held the paper plates and the "chicken feed" (which was circus animal cookies, mini marshmallows, pretzels & teddy grahams!) The little fruit basket with the green insert was also found at Target and I made Chocolate Zucchini muffins! (Recipes will be on tomorrows post!) The crock pot had my famous meatballs (super easy and oh so good! We have dairy and soy allergies so most of my recipes do not contain these items...like the pudding was actually made with Lactaid a lactose free milk!) And finally the cow cookies I had made at Beaverton Bakery!


The wood boxes I just had made for my Bliss Baby displays (for upcoming bazaars!) Inside I made homemade caramel corn (yummy!) 3 batches! That we handed out as people left. Tied them off with wiry rope I found at Craft warehouse. The little chalk board sign was made with products at Joannes. We covered the coffee table with burlap (1 yard) purchased at Joannes Fabrics as well! And the cowboy hats are from the $1 store (bandanna's from our dress up bins!)

The best part...instead of a pinata. We took a bale of hay (cost us $6 at a pumpkin farm) spread out a layer...tossed in bubbles, balls & candy. Then took another layer of hay and repeated until all items used. The kids used paper bags that I decorated with the Tractor I designed to collect their loot!



The kids had a fantastic time and so did us moms! Picture at bottom right is Michelle of Casual Camera, Brittanie of Cupcakes, Kisses n Crumbs, myself and my friend Kara of Bananafana Baby.

I hope you enjoyed the party as much as we did!