Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Rubber Ducky Baby Shower


This past weekend I helped host a couples baby shower for some close friends. If you haven't already guessed, they are expecting a baby BOY! I had so much fun decorating for this shower. As you can see, we choose a rubber ducky theme.

Simple cupcakes with simple rubber ducky toppers.




Rubber Ducky Punch: lemon-lime soda, white grape juice,
vanilla ice cream, and several drops of blue food coloring.

Top with cute clean rubber duckies.

Rubber Ducky Centerpiece: Baby bathtub, diapers, baby
wash, baby lotion, etc., and a rubber ducky topper!

The happy momma and baby to be.

Congratulations Brandi and Travis!
We are all so excited for you both!

Monday, April 28, 2008

I've Been Tagged

Me at Christmas!

I've been tagged by Candace at A Garden of Blessings to list 7 random/weird things about myself.

Here goes:


1. At Christmas, my in-laws gave my husband and I this stuffed dog. Normally I do not care for stuffed animals, but this dog just mad me so happy. The dog is rocking on a sled and barking Jingle Bells. Every time I turned it on it made me smile. I hope it does the same for you! Please excuse our Christmas mess. We were blessed with many presents.


2. I am currently a teacher. However, during college I worked in construction almost every summer. I was the low man/woman on the totem poll, which meant I usually spent my days: pushing the buggy at the local hardware store, getting tools out of the van, hauling in materials, sweeping up trash, going to get lunch, getting more tools out of the van, sweeping up more trash, and then hauling the materials and tools back to the van. Having this experience was actually wonderful. I learned a lot about home repair. Now I hardly hesitate before starting small project around the house.

3.
I like any tedious job that is detail oriented: peeling wall paper, sorting screws, painting, picking weeds from the garden, and organizing messy rooms or closets.

4. My husband's family and I went to Disney World last summer. I have to admit that I was not that excited (I had been when I was 12 or 13). I guess I thought it was more for kids. Well let me tell you, I was so wrong. I have never had so much fun in all my life! I can't wait to go back!


5. My husband and I have been participating in a lot of market research groups recently. We have tasted biscuits, listened to radio music, and been jurors for a mock trail. It has been very profitable and pretty fun.

6.
I have a very long bedtime routine: take out contacts, take vitamin, drink water, put on chap stick, drink more water, put lotion on hands, and turn out light. I know, it is ridiculous. The worst part is that I usually drop on of these items on the floor each night!

7. I really enjoy a clean home. That being said, our home is not clean all the time. But I do try to make a special effort to clean before we have guests over (having people over is a good excuse to get things done). Anyway, because our home is generally clean when people come over, some of my close girlfriends have started calling me Monica (from Friends). I am not sure if this is an insult or a complement, but I will assume the latter.


I tag Beth, Mod Girl, and Steviewren !

Sunday, April 27, 2008

My Summer Vegetable Garden

Here is a quick peek at our garden! I hope you enjoy!











We already have several bell peppers growing!



We have one tomato growing!

If you have posted pictures of your summer garden, leave me a
comment so I can see you veggies!

Supper Sample Sunday!


These are the free samples that I received in the mail this week!

Go to The Thrifty Soaper to see other people who have received samples this week.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

(In the back: Day Lillies; In the front: Petunias)

Thanks again to all who voted for the type of plants for my flowerbed! The results were tallied a few weeks ago. Now here are the live results!

****

Check out my sidebar to view my recently planted Vegetable Garden.
Has anyone else planted a garden this spring? If so, what did you plant?

Friday, April 18, 2008

Indian Theme Night


(These two pictures are from Goggle Images)


A few months ago, I posted about our monthly Girl's Night. This month we decided to have an Indian theme.


(This picture of Chicken Tikki Masala is from Goggle Images)

We made several authentic Indian dishes including: Appetizers: Spicy Stir-Fried Mushroom Bruschetta (Cooking Light) and Indian Samosas; Main Dishes: Chicken Tikki Masala, Indian Style-Chickpeas, Indian Style Basmati Rice, and Naan.


(My hand)

(My back, designed by the wonderfully talented, Kate)

After our wonderful dinner, we began our paintings. Well we didn't actually paint on traditional canvases. We used our own bodies as our canvases. Using Henna paint, we each took turns painting traditional and nontraditional Indian designs.


(The cover of my mom's own copy of Monsoon Wedding)

Finally, we watched a wonderful Indian movie. Monsoon Wedding is fun, colorful, and an experience not soon to be forgotten. As Peter Travers from Rolling Stone states, "Monsoon Wedding tackles the chaos that results when a large Indian family, whose members are scattered around the globe, assembles in contemporary New Delhi for an old-fashioned marriage ceremony. Director Mira Nair aims for pure joy and achieves it."


Let me know if any of you have every tried or are thinking of trying some of these wonderful Indian dishes, Henna paint, or the movie Monsoon Wedding.


(These two pictures are from Goggle Images)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008