Easter Dinner Re-Cap

Growing up we went to my Grandmas' houses for all of the holidays, except Easter.

Easter was always hosted by my Mom.

So, when my husband and I bought our first home and had our first child, my Mom "subtly hinted" that this would be a tradition she would like to keep up.

So, each year, we go to my Mother and Father In-Law's for their Easter celebration on Saturday, and then come back home, and we host Easter here for my family on Easter Sunday.

Our kids wake and find their baskets in the morning, we make breakfast, then head to Easter Mass.

After church, my brother and his family, my Mom and her husband and his daughter, our family and my husbands parents come for dinner.

the grandmas enjoying a beverage while the kids hunt eggs.

Before we have dinner, we have an Easter egg hunt for the kids, and take the traditional "picture on the porch" after everyone has found their eggs.

score!

After the egg hunt it's time for dinner!

I love to set the table differently every year.

Of course, I don't think I will ever compare to the year I made the PEEP Centerpiece!

Have I mentioned how I adore PEEPS?

This year I used one of my favorite tablecloths.

After the long and depressing winter we had, I wanted to go BOLD!

Love the colors of this tablecloth!

The only thing I bought new, were the two blue vases.

They were a steal at Tuesday Morning.  Do you have one of those?

Awesome store.

I hunted for some flowers that would go with the tablecloth and used the same colors for the 

eggs and the PEEPS.

I used the "pouch fold" for the napkins.

Originally I had the eggs and bunnies inside the pouches, but they got lost in there.  The napkins I was using are quite big.  This would have worked with a smaller napkin.

I think it turned out pretty cute?

On the Menu:

Baked Ham

Polish Sausage and Sauerkraut 

(from the best local place, Stoysich Sausage, in Omaha, NE)

Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Potato Casserole (with bacon)

Green Beans

Orange Glazed Carrots

Cinnamon Applesauce

Biscuits

...and for dessert

Strawberry Lemonade Cake

It was a fun weekend, and God granted us beautiful weather.

Welcome SPRING!

Fall Centerpiece

Fall has always been my favorite season.

I love all of the beautiful colors, and decorating my house for fall has always been something that I look forward to.

This past Spring I did a small kitchen remodel.

When we built our house 9 years ago, we painted our kitchen red.

"Arresting Red" to be exact.

I loved having a red kitchen, but it was time for a change.

We changed it to a nice brown, it's amazing how paint changes a room!!

It's fun to decorate the rooms for seasons now, because even my old decorations seem new!!

I ran across this post by Shanty 2 Chic on Pinterest this past summer and knew I  wanted to make something like it for my kitchen this fall.

Here is the link to her post on her blog: 

Fall Pumpkin - Shanty2Chic

I picked up a fake pumpkin and letters to spell "fall" at Hobby Lobby, a can of cream colored spray paint and painters tape from the hardware store.

Tape off the stem with painters tape and spray your letters and pumpkin with a couple of coats of cream colored paint.

Adhere them with a hot glue gun once they are dry.

I liked the addition of the little burlap flower she added to hers, so I did the same.  

Only I used one instead of three.

I found this candle base and glass candle holder at Hobby Lobby, too.

I already had the pumpkins and acorns that I filled it up with.

I strung some orange accent "vine" through, and added a couple of real gourds to the mix.

and Ta-Da! Centerpiece!

I love buying pieces like this, because I know they can be filled with all kinds of things for other holidays, or even just a candle like it was intended! 

Graduation Party - Theme: Racing, Fishing and Mexican Food

When I started planning for my son's graduation party almost a year ago, the one thing I knew we would have was Mexican food. 

He is truly Mama's boy when it comes to his food tastes!

Maybe it's all of the extra spicy Mexican I ate when I was pregnant?

Our Menu:  Taco/Nacho Bar

taco meat

soft and crunchy taco shells

nacho cheese

Mexican rice

re-fried beans

chips and salsa

and all of the trimmings to top off your creation

(lettuce, tomatoes, olives, shredded cheese, jalapenos, sour cream)

Some of you may know that my husband drives a dirt late model race car.

My son, Spencer, is his right hand in our shop and at the races.

my husband and Spencer in front of his car

We decided that due to Mother Nature and her crazy cold front ways this Spring, that it would be cool to have his party in our building.

Then the rest of my ideas were born!

I played on his love of racing and his other love, fishing.

I wanted some sort of centerpiece, and I wanted it to be fit for a boy.

This is what I came up with:

Do you suppose they know they are about to become a centerpiece??

I bought small fish bowls and rocks in his school colors.

I found fishing lures also in their school colors, and red and white bobbers.

I dug out my stash of scrapbook numbers and added a 2013 to each bowl.

Hung the lure off the side, floated the bobbers on the top and added a gold fish to each bowl.

I also had many black picture frames that I filled with pictures of Spencer at different ages.

Added a few Hot Wheels, some graduation beads and confetti, and my tables were decorated!

Some of the picture frames has a metallic spray with "2013" attached to the back

each table looked slightly different.

I alternated red and black table clothes on the tables.

The head table had a white table cloth with an overlay of a clear one with 2013 in black.

We had a large framed and matted photo for guests to sign and his scrapbook filled with photos from each year of school, Pre-School through senior year.

sign in

his scrapbook

In order to keep guests from bunching up in the doorway, we had the gift/card table inside, close to the drinks and the food.

the gift table

You cannot tell from this photo above, but the gift table and the dessert table were both round.

Last but not least we had the table of desserts.

I decided to do all sorts of bars.  

I did a round table, so people could walk around it.

I used tiered plate holders with desserts, and had back up ones to put in their place.

Keeping with the Mexican theme, I added a large margarita glass filled with assorted M&Ms.

I used the rocks I made for card holders at a past party to show what each dessert was.

I made them for a Peanuts Themed Birthday Party.

They worked great with the fishing theme!

this is a close-up shot of the river rock swirled place card holder I made and re-used.

Here is a list of the desserts, you can click on each one to be taken to it's recipe blog page.

Lemon Blueberry Crumb Bars

Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

(I made a box mix brownie and topped with this ganache, they were decadent and the first bar gone!

Nestles Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

(from the chocolate chip package)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Brownies

(box brownies with 1 bag of milk/peanut butter chips and 1/2 bag of peanut butter chips)

Iced Snickerdoodle Bars

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

(decorated with his school colors!)

My Mother-in-Law made Rice Krispy Treats, but here's a twist on those:

Cake Batter Rice Krispy Cupcakes with Marshmallow Butter Cream

A view from the front door of the race shop, you can get a better idea of the layout.

All of the food was set up along the work bench.

My son, Spencer, the guest of honor on his last day of High School.

Me and Spencer.  I am so proud of you, buddy!!

Love you SO MUCH!!

xxoo

Bunny Napkin Folding

cute lil bunnies

Need a little "somethin' somethin' " to give your Easter table a little something special this year?

Well, if you have linen napkins and some satin ribbon, you can have this little Army of Easter Rabbits marching across your table, too!!

hut-2-3-4.....

Love how they looked all lined up on my kitchen table this morning, ready to conquer the drips and drops of Easter dinner!!

it's almost a shame to wipe your mouth on!!

Make sure you iron your napkins before, and it helps if they have a light starch on them.

Here's the video from Better Homes and Gardens on how to fold them!

Girl Friends "Spicy" Valentine Luncheon ~ 2012

I love to spoil my girlfriends.

They mean the world to me and every year around Valentine's Day I honor them with a party.

desserts & fruit

The last couple of years I have thrown a brunch.  If you want a peek at them you can find them here:

2010

2011

this year's invitation

I try to incorporate something that is a favorite of mine and build around it.  

This year it was Mexican food and Conversation(hearts)

a little look-see at the table

I typically do linen napkins when I have a meal like this, but my inner 13 year old got the best of me when I saw the conversation heart napkins and little treat cups!!

The treat boxes were filled with chocolates, and of course, candy hearts!!

My Mom always got my brother and I a box of conversation hearts for Valentine's Day.  

They have always been a favorite of mine.

I made this centerpiece for the table:

If you click HERE you can see how I did it!!

When I planned the menu I forgot that it was the first Friday of Lent.

So I mixed it up a little.

It worked out well.  

The Menu::

White Chicken Enchiladas

Bean Cheese and Onion Enchiladas and Chili Rellenos & Rice

Tortilla Soup

 Chips and Salsa, Guacamole and lots of toppings!

White Rose infused Sangria

Jarritos and Iced Tea with Lemon

Mexican Brownies

Pina Colada Cupcakes

Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

Fun was had by all....

But you will have to take my word for it, because I totally forgot to take pictures!!

OOPS!!

I was too busy eating!! ;)