This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and it’s advertiser. All opinions are mine. #samsungtargettech #CollectiveBias
Back-to-school is just around the corner whether we like it or not, it’s gonna be here any day soon. I will surely miss our slow mornings and homework free nights. But i’m also glad and excited that i could also get some things done without tagging along kids with me. For a mom, going Target shopping without
Months ago my son Lucas celebrated his 9th birthday and he wanted a Lego birthday party. So i created one for him ! Yes, i am that kind of mom. I love creating and doing parties for my kids, family and friends. I don’t even know why. I know it’s stressful, time-consuming and a lot of work, but i enjoy it too. It gives me that hum of adrenaline, the excitement on creating something that makes me enjoy the process even though sometimes or most of the time, the whole process is totally not a walk in the park.
There is only one thing that makes me feel rewarding when i create a party for people – their happy faces. They don’t have to do anything or say anything, just seeing their happy faces it’s good enough for me. It’s worth it.
Since i rebranded this blog, this is the first “Birthday Party” blog post and i’m excited to share more of my kids birthday parties for years to come.
Let me start with a very simple and low key Lego theme birthday party that is perfect for busy moms.
I pretty much bought and ordered everything. The link is at the bottom of this post to where i bought the products, where the products are from or something similar.
Here are the printables i used for this party :
For the dessert table, i bought the chocolate chip cookies and birthday cake at Costco. It’s his favorites. I bought the pompom cake topper at Target. For the cupcakes, i bought it at Kroger. I always ordered the ones with whip frosting because it’s not too sweet at all. I made the letter sugar cookies myself and also made block sugar cookies as party favors. For the Lego cake stand, i made that myself. Ofcourse, i copied it from Pinterest. It didn’t turned out exactly like it, but it’s close enough. As long as it holds the cake right? lol.
Here is the recipe for the cut out sugar cookies. It’s thick , soft and very delicious.
thick, soft and delicious sugar cookies
Sift flour, baking powder, add salt, set aside
Whisk together egg and vanilla extract, set aside
In a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar. It should be light and fluffy. Add vanilla egg mixture, beating anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute until well mixed in.
Gradually add flour in 2 additions. Lower the speed of your mixer to low. Scrape the bowl well after the last addition and beat just until flour is combined.
Knead the cookie dough for about 30 to 60 seconds, until dough comes together.
Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375F
Divide cookie dough in half. Roll half of the cookie dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper using rolling guides on each side of the dough. I use 2 painter sticks on the side.
Cut out as many cookies as you can. Place the cookies lined with parchment paper. Chill the cut outs in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
Bake for 9minutes, depending on the oven, turn the sheet once half way through the baking.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes, transfer to cooling rack.
Decorate cookies as desired with royal icing or frosting you prefer.
Products used :
Lego Party Pack of 16 – Amazon
Lego Party Banner – Target similar here
Lego plates – Amazon
Letter cookie cutter – Amazon
Red and Blue wooden crates – Michaels
Decorative Letter L – Michaels similar at Amazon
Ceramic vase – Wayfair
Chip bowls – Home Goods other option at Wayfair
Table runner – Home Goods similar at Wayfair
3 piece tier server – Bed, Bath and Beyond
This simple, easy and festive party tutorial has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #IceColdSummerMoments
Memorial day or Memorial weekend is one of the most celebrated holidays here in United States of America. It is a day of remembrance for those who died in service of the United States. It is also a day when family and friends get together for some outdoor activities, backyard dinner , swimming in the pool or just simply enjoying the time anticipating and looking ahead at summer vacation.
If you have been following my blog, you know how much i enjoy entertaining. So creating an outdoor Memorial theme backyard barbecue is a great idea to enjoy cool summer moments with my family. To make this Memorial theme idea happen, i gathered things that i already have that would go with the theme, preferably something red, white and blue. Those colors signifies the American flag.
After i gathered the stuffs that i already have that would go with the theme, i made a one stop shopping at my nearest Target and found everything i needed for my Memorial Day theme tablescape. I grab some Coca-Cola™ 20 oz Share a Coke Coca-Cola™ 20 oz Share a Coke with my husband’s name on it. It’s so cool. You know when decorating for family gathering or parties, fun little details counts. It could be a conversation starter that warms up everyone. This year, Share a Coke is back with 1,000 new Share A Coke names featuring First and Last names. ( Here is a Cartwheel offer of 20% off Share a Coke at Target )
One of the easiest ways to create a tablescape is by setting the table according to the theme. I wanted to make it simple and easy but also have that patriotic scene around the table to set up the mood. I got most of my stuffs at Target, it was an easy and convenient shopping experience to find everything you need there.
These are :
I also wanted to share to you a little step by step graphic tutorial on how to make an Envelope Fold table napkin. It is simple, super easy and it makes your table pretty. Again, it’s the little details.
I prepared a backyard barbecue menu which is perfect for a nice summer weather. We enjoyed dining by the patio especially when the sun is starting to set because it creates a nice quaint ambiance. For more summer inspirations go here .
Here’s what i prepared:
Simple, easy and delicious chicken barbecue kabobs
Cut up the chicken thighs in quarter pieces. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Slice the bell peppers and onion in quarter pieces and set aside.
Mix in barbecue sauce into the chicken thighs. Marinate for 15 minutes or more. Overnight is the best.
After marinating, skewer the bell peppers, onions and chicken. In any order you like.
Grill 15 minutes on each side, until the chicken is done and have reach 165 degrees F inside temp. Baste it with barbecue sauce in between as you turn each side and then baste in again after it's cooked through.
Serve it with your favorite side dish.
2. Side dishes – Potato salad, mixed greens salad, corn muffins and corn in a cob.
3. Dessert – a big bowl of fruits ( strawberries, blueberries and pineapples ).
Nothing beats a good companionship and it’s always a great feeling to make memories especially with the ones you love. As a mom, creating memories is everything. Every holidays and occasions, i always make an effort to make it something they would look back for the rest of their lives. I’m sure they would remember how i make it extra special every time. It’s not just about the set up, but it’s about the memories you will make. What about you, who will you be sharing an ice cold Coca-Cola with this summer?
Thank you so much for reading and may you have a great summer!
Learning how to swim is an essential tool for every human being. It is a must ! I can’t imagine any of us in our family not knowing how to swim and the sooner you know how to swim, the better. Today, i’m sharing the benefits of swimming lessons for our children.
I truly feel a sense satisfaction when i gave my child a tool that will serve them well through out the rest of their life. It is definitely a rewarding feeling.
Thank you so much for reading and have a great day!
I hope you had a nice Easter Sunday yesterday! Here in Michigan, we celebrated Easter in a beautiful 70 degrees F weather. It couldn’t be any better than that in celebrating the day the lord has risen. I woke up so early around 6 a.m. . Took out the kids Easter baskets that i prepared the night before and set up our Easter dinner table. When they woke up, they were so happy and excited when they saw the Easter basket. Ofcourse, it was attacked right away. I also spread Easter eggs around the house and we did egg our annual egg hunt. It was a lot of fun ofcourse.
When i was growing up in the Philippines, we never have this kind of tradition. We celebrate Easter just like here in America where everybody in the family gathered around and have lots of food. But there was no Easter egg hunt, Easter baskets nor Easter bunny. I didn’t even know about all that till i got here in the states. There was no social media back then, so it was kind of living in a bubble. Now that i have kids, it’s a great tradition to keep year after year. It’s also fun way to celebrate Easter.
After we did our Easter egg hunt, we went to church. Then we took the kids to the playground, then we came home and prepared our Easter dinner. As usual, i love setting up tablescapes every occasion. Here is my previous one last Thanksgiving and this one last Christmas. I enjoyed every bit of it. It doesn’t have to be super glamorous and over the top but i love creating tablescapes.
Thanks to Pinterest for all the inspirations. Since it’s spring season, i decorated and use everything in pastel colors.
Dinnerware set : Kohls / silverwares : Kohls / placemats : Kohls
cake stand: Bed,Bath and Beyond / serving rack : Macy’s
table cloth: Home Goods / table runner : Home Goods / table napkins : Home Goods
bunny vase table decor : Kohls / large bowl vase : Amazon / glass vase for the eggs : Dollar Store
curtains : Kohls (sold out ) in blue color here / banner : Hobby Lobby
Easter baskets : Target / throw blanket : Target
April’s wrap around maxi dress : Francesca’s ( sold out) other option here / Steve’s shirt : Tommy Hilfiger / Lucas’s polo shirt : Crazy 8
Olivia’s dress : Target ( last year )
Thank you so much for reading and have a great day!
Why teach reading early?
Well, let me tell you first that I am not an expert of child education or anything like that, nor a super mom. But I just wanted to share to you my thoughts as a mom.
We all know that reading is important and it’s always a good thing that our child learns how to read early in life. I believe that introducing and exposing them to books is a great way for our kids to learn how to read.
