Party Like Its 1983!!!

I knew I wanted to do something fun for my sister Shan's 30th birthday... and decided to go with an 80s themed party.  I didn't realize til after I picked the theme that so much of the 80s stuff is kind of back in style now!  Why?   I don't know, but it helped out with the party planning!

I freezer paper stenciled the birthday girl a tshirt that said "Made in 83".  She loved it!  In the pix above she is holding the 80s goodies that each of the girls got: a cup w/ lips on it, a flavored chap stick, jelly bracelets, and Pop Rocks!  ;-)

While some of us raided Goodwill for our totally rad outfits... at least one of our gals used all stuff she already owned!  What does that say about her wardrobe?  ;-)  jk

I love that the girls really got into the spirit of the party.  Everyone's outfits were so much fun!

Following our awesome dinner at The Tamale Place we headed to the Drive-In for a double feature!  I was god tired when I fell into bed at 2:30am!!  I'm too old for this late night business!

Here are a couple of helpful links for planning your Awesome 80s Party!  

80s Costume Inspiration

Great 80s Trivia

My 80s Party Pinterest Board

Glad we were able to help my sis celebrate her 30th in "style"!!  ;-)   Love ya, Sis!

“Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around 
once in a while, you could miss it.”

 – Ferris Bueller

UnWired Mom Challenge

Recently Nate told me that he thinks I spend "um, like 70, no 75% of your day on the computer... sigh...".  While  he's clearly exaggerating, as kids often do... I know I've gotten into the bad habit of spending too much time online.  Its easy to have a legitimate reason to get on the computer (quick check of the email, look up a gluten-free recipe, etc) and then get distracted by this or that and end up on the computer for an hour or more.  Obviously, I have many more important things that I should be spending my time on. 

I want to tame the beast and find a balance in how I spend my time.  Part of the reason its a hard habit to kick is because as a SAHM the internet is often my connection to the world.  Frankly sometimes I use it as an escape.  When I'm having a really frustrating day its easier to lose myself in mindless surfing the web than it is to face the chaos around me.  But I know it is not good for me or my family for me to spend so much of my time this way.  I want to be more deliberate about making actual face-to-face connections happen with my friends, catching up on things that have fallen behind (ahem - housework...), reading more books (both to the kids and for myself), and just playing with my kids more.  We will all benefit if I make a few changes.

Its for those reasons that for the next two weeks I am joining Sarah Mae and other moms in a quest to kick our internet habit and be more intentional moms.  She has put together the UnWired Mom 14-Day Challenge to help and encourage moms to not be consumed by the internet.  We're not alone... join with other moms who are struggling too.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 - See more at: http://sarahmae.com/2013/08/join-the-unwired-mom-challenge/#sthash.qUoq8Jjg.dpuf

The UnWired Mom Challenge is not a stay-off-your-computer-for-two-weeks challenge. It’s a challenge to help you try and break some habits and come up with a vision for living free and whole and un-addicted while still enjoying the benefits of the Internet. - See more at: http://sarahmae.com/2013/08/the-unwired-mom-14-day-challenge-begins-today/#sthash.IA693GD9.dpuf

The UnWired Mom Challenge is not a stay-off-your-computer-for-two-weeks challenge. It’s a challenge to help you try and break some habits and come up with a vision for living free and whole and un-addicted while still enjoying the benefits of the Internet.

- See more at: http://sarahmae.com/2013/08/the-unwired-mom-14-day-challenge-begins-today/#sthash.IA693GD9.dpuf

The UnWired Mom Challenge is not a stay-off-your-computer-for-two-weeks challenge. It’s a challenge to help you try and break some habits and come up with a vision for living free and whole and un-addicted while still enjoying the benefits of the Internet.

- See more at: http://sarahmae.com/2013/08/the-unwired-mom-14-day-challenge-begins-today/#sthash.IA693GD9.dpuf

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

DIY Thickener

Christine is on thickened liquids because she has a weak airway and micro-aspirates when she has regular fluids.  The prescription thickener (we were using Simply Thick) was running us $86 every month.  We were starting to feel the strain so Isaac researched DIY alternatives.  He found this video on YouTube.



We've been using this method for the past couple of months and it has saved us a couple hundred dollars already.  I don't have a magic bullet or whatever blender that they use in the video so I use a Mason jar and attach my blender blade to it.  That amount of thickener lasts us a couple of days. 

We have been very happy with the results.  As far as we can tell there is hardly any difference between the Simply Thick and the thickener that we make on our own now.  They both have been equally effective for us.  Hopefully this will help other families who are using thickeners. 

Do you have any DIY tricks or tips to pass my way?  ;-)

Irish Root Beer Float

My husband and I are not big drinkers but we like to mix it up every once in awhile.  I stumbled across a tasty new drink that I had to share about. I just mixed it up with a couple things we had on hand. We like to have this drink in the evening with some popcorn while we watch Dr. Who.   ;-)  It makes me all warm and tingly inside! 

Irish Root Beer Float
6oz root beer
2oz Bailey's Irish Cream
1oz Amaretto Liqueur
 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream

If you are looking for something a little stronger you could try one of these cocktails I found on this bar tending site:

Attitude Adjustment (Cocktail) - Baileys Irish Cream, Root Beer Schnapps, Southern Comfort

Jager Shake (Shooter) - Amaretto, Baileys Irish Cream, Coca Cola, Jagermeister, Root Beer Schnapps

 

Pirate's Float (Cocktail) - Cola, Root Beer Schnapps, Spiced Rum

 

Jr's Vanilla Bomb (Cocktail) - Root Beer, Stolichnaya ( Stoli ) Vanilla Vodka, Vanilla Ice Cream

 

The Hollywoods Ice Cream Float (Cocktail) - Ice Cream, Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey, Kahlua, Root Beer

 

photo source

Pirate Party!

My nephew Wyatt turned three a couple of weeks ago and we celebrated Pirate style!  

 

He loves Jake and the Neverland Pirates and we used that as inspiration for the party. 

All the kids had bandanas and those who wanted them got mustaches drawn on.  The boys loved it!

We had a few outdoor activities planned but ended up getting rained out.  :-(

 

What is a pirate party without a little pirate-y type food? 

And my mom and sister did a great job on the Jake cake!

I made Wyatt a cute little pirate tote - complete with inside pockets. 

We were all dressed for the occasion.

 

And we got to put my dad's stuffed alligator to good use as the "crocodile" that chased Captain Hook.  All the kids loved getting their picture taken with the "croc".  ;-)

Check out my Pirate Party Pinterest Board for more great piratey ideas!

Lakehouse Fun!

We have enjoyed a few weekends at my inlaws' lakehouse.  My sweet girl and I sportin' our shades.

It was a little chilly so we were pansies for awhile and eased our way in... should have just jumped in and gotten it over with!  ;-)

Me with a couple of my favorite girls!

Nate had a blast on his first tube ride!  He was hesitant at first but he loved it!

We took our friends to Rocket Science Ice Cream in Nappanee, Indiana for an tasty treat!

 We have loved being able to share the lakehouse with our friends.  Sadly my mother-in-law's health has declined and her compromised immune system is too susceptible to sickness and infections.  For the sake of her health our visits will be family only in the future. 

Favorite Gluten-free Recipes

Between switching to gluten-free and being a part of a CSA produce coop I've been branching out a lot in the kitchen.  Often our coop provides me with produce that I am unfamiliar with so I have been searching for creative ways to use them that will appease my family's tastes.  The internet has been a wealth of information and help finding new recipes to try out.

My family loved the swiss chard on cauliflower pizza crust... even my mother-in-law who might be one of the pickiest eaters I know!  Kale is another item we often get that I didn't really know what to do with.  A few ways we have enjoyed eating it are in our scrambled eggs, in mashed potatoes and as chips.

Last week we went and picked strawberries with some friends and I wanted to try something new.  I found a great recipe for strawberry rhubarb upside down cake that was practically magical!


photo source

 

Lego Party!

Well, it wasn't hard to come up with a theme for Nate's birthday party.  He is obsessed with Legos.  I mean seriously.  Every time he prays he ends the prayer with "and thank you for my X number Lego sets".  He has done this for years.  Every time he gets a new set he ups the number and always keeps track of how many he owns.  He can spend hours building and creating.  They are one of the greatest toys ever.  Until you step on one in the middle of the night.  Then they are Satan's spawn. 

 

I got a lot of the ideas and resources for the party on Pinterest.  We had such a great time with our friends and family at Nate's party.  Thanks to everyone who helped him to enjoy his "golden" birthday!

Well Planned Day Giveaway

Well, whether we like it or not we have to give some thought to what the fall semester will hold for our family's home school.  I have been working on getting a plan together for Nate's upcoming third grade year.

We have used Heart of Dakota since Nate started pre-K.  It is a great choice for beginner homeschool families because it has every day preplanned for you so there is not a lot of lesson planning, which can be very intimidating at first.

But we felt it was time for a change for us.  So the new school year's daily routine will look a little differently than last year's.  I am planning on using Singapore Math 3a&b (its what we have been using since be started homeschooling and we have really liked it), All About Spelling (heard great things from other families and we're going to try it out for the first time this year), and Nate will also be doing Easy Peasy All In One Homeschool for the rest of his subjects (science, English, history, bible & music). I've blogged about Easy Peasy before when sharing free homeschool resources.  It is a curriculum using nearly all free online resources from one homeschool mom.  I think Nate will really enjoy having school on the computer and I will like having most of the planning already done for me.  ;-)

Every family is different and each child is as well.  What works for one homeschool family may not be the best choice for another.  Its good to have a plan but its also a good idea to be flexible and be willing to make changes to your plan if you need to.  Curriculum Choice has a good post on How to Make an Overall Plan for The Year.  The Clutter-Free Classroom posted tips for planning short and long term goals.

Since I'm doing some mixing & matching with our curriculum this year its not all laid out for me in a teacher's guide as it has in the past.  I am going to have to be more diligent about planning and managing our school days.  A great way to organize your lesson planning and family schedule is with the Well Planned Day homeschool family planner.

Organize your busy days all in one place with this beautifully-designed planner. The Well-Planned Day is a family homeschool organizer, designed especially for moms. This effective, yet easy-to-use format will ensure that each day at your home is smooth and profitable.

I am new to Well Planned Day myself but I found this post from a fellow homeschool mom on how she uses her WPD planner to be very helpful.  She goes through and shows you exactly how she uses the planner to schedule and record family activities and homeschool information effectively and keep their schedule and school organized. I am looking forward to using it for our family's upcoming school year!

The flexibility of The Well-Planned Day is one of its greatest assets. - See more at: http://hedua.com/blog/how-i-use-the-well-planned-day-planner/#sthash.EDWWQWNw.dpuf

Now for the fun part!!  One lucky Wani's World reader will win their own Well Planned Day family homeschool planner.  Check out the Rafflecopter below to enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



This is a sponsored giveaway that includes affiliate links.   But all opinions are my own.  Thanks!  ;-)

Wedding Season!

My family has been busy with a wedding boom!  In the last 9mos or so we've had two of my sisters, two cousins and one aunt get married... and two more cousins get engaged!  What a wonderful time of celebration!  With weddings come expenses...  I thought I would share how we were able to recycle some of our decorations to be used in all of these occasions!

Hannah & Ted had a literary themed wedding with beautiful colorful and classy flour arrangements.  My mom did the floral arch and custom did the chalkboard.  It was lovely.

My sister, Lauren had a courthouse wedding out of town and followed it with a country bbq reception a couple of months later.  It was a little more laid back so we modified the arrangements from Hannah's reception to take on the "country" feel.  And of course we added a few new touches to the mix, like the colorful burlap bunting.

My cousin Sean's new wife Kristen had already chosen to go with sunflowers and was happy to borrow the arch from Hannah's for their beautiful backyard ceremony.

My cousin Brad's reception was held in a large open air building with great exposed brick and needed a touch of color.  They borrowed the bunting from Lauren's reception to add a pop of color!

And my aunt Jody just got married this past weekend.  She was one of the most laid back brides I have ever seen.  ;-)  It was a second marriage for her and she just wanted to get married, the rest was just details.  So, the night before the wedding my mom added purple flowers to the sunflower arch to define the ceremony area.  It turned out beautifully. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.