My Valentine baby turned four years old today. His only request in regards to cake was that it be chocolate. He gets it honest. Normally, I just go with chocolate or vanilla buttercream frosting since we avoid artificial food coloring, then I remembered a suggestion from a fellow Feingold mom. Freeze-dried fruit. You can find it at most grocery stores or order it online. I like this organic brand (affiliate).

As it is Valentine's Day and red is M2's favorite color, I chose strawberry. My guys loved it! They said it's the best strawberry frosting they have ever tasted. No cloying fake strawberry flavor here. Sweetness with just a bit of tang. Naturally.

"It's better than anything you can buy, Mom." - Son, age 6

 "Just have to say that those cupcakes with that frosting were crazy good." - Text from Papa Bear

This is super easy to make and you have a variety of flavors to choose from. Mango. Blueberry. Banana. Raspberry. Peach. Strawberry. If you have a love affair with blueberries, check out these blueberry cupcakes with blueberry cream cheese frosting.

Make the Fruit Powder

1. Add about an ounce of freeze-dried fruit into your blender or food processor. 
2. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until it has all turned to powder. 

I used a 1.5 oz package and had enough left over for at least another batch of frosting or maybe cake batter. You can store the remaining powder in a recycled spice jar and it should keep for quite a while in a cool, dry place.

Make the Frosting

I'm going to cheat a bit here and not actually give you a recipe for frosting. {gasp} If you already have a favorite vanilla buttercream recipe, you can use that. If not, try this one. They are all fairly the same and any good cookbook will have a recipe for basic buttercream. I used organic cultured butter, organic powdered sugar, and unsweetened almond milk. After creaming the butter, simply add a teaspoon of the fruit powder in with the powdered sugar, increasing gradually until you reach the desired color and flavor intensity. Omit vanilla, if it calls for it. That's it. Easy Peasy.

What else can we add this fruit powder to?

• Plain organic yogurt
• Cake batter
• Oatmeal
• Smoothies
• Homemade fruit chews candy??

This post contains affiliate links.

Linked to Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Super Saturday Link Party, Homemaking Link-Up, Welcome Home Wednesday

Army Birthday Party

Eight years ago today, my middle son was born. One day past his predicted due date, on my maternal grandmother's birthday. She never had the pleasure of meeting any of my boys, as she died right before I found out I was pregnant with M1. She would have loved them all so much and they would have adored her. I would have been especially fond of her because my grandmother was a great hugger and she loved to laugh. :)

Last weekend, we had an Army themed party for IB and he LOVED it. Most boys love all things military at this age, especially when their father is in the military. A few weeks ago, I dropped a hint to my mom that IB had a growing wish list at JMCremps.com, so she bought him a gift card. Since we were having an Army party, it only made sense to get IB some new BDUs, WWII replica rifle, wallet, and medic bag. He wore his BDUs for three days before the party day!

Keeping it real...this is a real boy's party. When I announced it was time for cake, there was a mini stampede to the kitchen door (AKA the Mess Hall).

The most expensive part of the party was food, especially the bakery cakes. I usually make my own, but I thought I'd give myself a break this time. They were simply two white-iced cakes that the bakery keeps on hand for last-minute people like me, that had been sprayed to look like camo. I had planned on setting up plastic soldiers on each cake facing each other, but there was no time for that once I mentioned cake. As any smart mom does, I planned the party between lunch and dinner, so I could just serve snacks. Mostly green ones, of course. Broccoli, celery, bell peppers, sugar snap peas, pickle spears, pretzels, chips, and  ranch dip. 

WalMart has camo plates, cups, napkins, and party favor dog tags for less than a dollar per pack, which is a steal compared to the party store prices. It took just a few minutes to print signs to hang up, like "Latrine", "Mess Hall", and "Restricted Area" (for the big boys' rooms), and Certificates of Completion. Party favors were in plain brown lunch sacks and contained goodies from the Army Recruiter, camo band-aids, and an Army coloring sheet.

The backyard was the happening place with an obstacle course and shooting range. No real guns were used, just plastic pellet guns, under close adult supervision and with proper gun handling instruction. Papa Bear set up the obstacle course with old tires and boards. The neighborhood boys stayed long after the party was over. I have a feeling that we'll have another Army party in the future.

Just in case you were wondering, here are a few sites I visited for inspiration:

GI Joe Birthday Party

Boys Army Party

Army Birthday Party

BuildaSign.com Custom Banners, Signs, Decals & More {Review & Giveaway} ENDED

BuildASign.com offers custom marketing products that you can design yourself, from vinyl banners and yard signs to bumper stickers and car window decals. Their products are a great, affordable solution for professionals, small business owners, non-profits, and individuals. There is no set-up fee for artwork; you can change fonts, colors, and wording or upload your own logo or photo. Their easy-to-use interface allows you to create your custom product in a matter of minutes. The hardest part is deciding what you want.

When BuildASign.com contacted me, I was planning our triple birthday party for the boys. With all of the birthdays that we have around here, I went with a birthday banner to display outside during my boys' birthday weeks. Of course, the timing was a bit off to get it in time for our party, but it will definitely be put to use for Levi's 4th birthday soon. While they do have a selection of birthday banners, I chose a style from their business section and changed the wording. There are so many options for customizing, especially when you look beyond the labeled categories. Once I submitted my order on Feb. 21, I was given a delivery estimate of Mar. 2. So, I was very surprised to find the box on my porch three days later. The 3' X 6' banner is made of thick vinyl and has metal grommets at the corners. Now, I have to say that I normally avoid vinyl, but for the intended purpose of this sign, it is necessary to withstand the outdoor elements. The colors are bright and the details are clear, easily readable from a distance. My guys think it's super cool and can't wait to let the whole world our neighborhood know when it's their birthday.

Buy It

Go to BuildASign.com and find something that meets your needs. Maybe a banner for your annual yard sale or a yard sign for the block party. A bumper sticker about something you're passionate about or a window decal to declare your husband's love of hunting. A magnetic sign for your home party business or vinyl lettering on your rear window with your website. Make your choice and then use the promo code MOMBLOGGERS to get 10% off of your order.

Update: Until March 13, enter MARCHING2011 at checkout to receive free shipping! This offer cannot be combined with the 10% discount, so check to see which one will give you the best deal.

GIVEAWAY ENDED

Win It

Do you like our birthday banner? Well, I took the liberty of making a birthday banner for one of my readers. It will look just like ours only with red lettering, like this:

Please leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address each time so I can contact you if you win. 

MANDATORY: You must follow me publicly via Google Friend Connect. 

Extra entries:

• Visit BuildASign.com and tell us what you would buy. {1 entry}
• Follow BuildASign.com and tell us what your favorite bumper sticker says or would say. G-rated, please. {1 entry}
• Follow me on Facebook. {1 entry}

Open to US residents only. Giveaway ends 3/12/11 at 11:59 p.m. Winner will be picked and announced the following day. If winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. 

Disclaimer: This was not a paid review. The opinions stated are solely the reviewer's. Thank you to BuildASign.com for providing the products for this review and giveaway.

A Triple Header Birthday Party

Saturday's party went very well. Normally, I don't ask for help, but I'm working on delegating. So when my mother-in-law showed up 30 minutes early, I asked her to make the deviled eggs. I had already boiled the eggs that morning and Papa Bear loves his momma's deviled eggs. The older boys helped take care of last minute house cleaning and Papa Bear had taken the boys for haircuts on Friday. The only things that were left out because of my procrastination were the cheese cubes and the olive & cheddar appetizers. I purposefully planned the party for 2:00 p.m. so that, hopefully, everyone would have already eaten lunch and not be starving. I served simple snacks: crudites {fancy for cut-up veggies}, pretzels, tortilla chips, black bean dip, hummus, ranch dip, deviled eggs, and chile-lime peanuts. The night before, I baked six dozen coconut cupcakes and vanilla cupcakes. I was still adding the buttercream frosting when our guests began to arrive. I served sweet tea and Sierra Mist {I didn't want to buy soda so it was a compromise for me}. The funny thing is that almost everyone showed up with a to-go cup of their favorite soda fix from a fast food restaurant. They know me so well.

Now, I'm going to show you pictures but don't expect anything fantastic. I am all about balance and simplicity...and sanity.

In keeping with the color theme, we also had black licorice twists and yogurt raisins. It is completely possible to throw a birthday party without artificial food coloring (I think they added something to the raisins, though). I used the cupcake toppers and decorations to add color. My friend laughed at me because I covered the peanut canisters with blue paper to coordinate.

The birthday boys

Why Do I Procrastinate?

My name is Christy and I am a procrastinator. 

{Hello, Christy!}

I am a planner. I love to come up with ideas, research them, make plans. But I'm a slacker when it comes to the actual doing part. A few weeks ago, I began planning M2's first birthday party, but that quickly changed when I found out that my niece had already invited half of my guests to her Thirty One party scheduled on the same day. Since NG's birthday was the following Saturday, the only other option was to plan a combination birthday party. And with LJ's birthday only two weeks after that, I figured that I should knock out three "birds" with one stone. So, goodbye to the Very Hungry Caterpillar theme.

Have you ever tried to come up with decorating ideas for a party for a one year old, four year old, and a twelve year old? 

With NG's input, I researched party ideas and themes. I could have gone with the traditional primary colors. That's what I would usually do. But I wanted to do something special this time. We finally agreed upon a color  theme based on these cupcake toppers on Etsy. Black and blue. It doesn't sound like it would be appropriate for a kids' birthday party, right? But we really like it. Using scrapbook paper and cardstock, I have been making my own cupcake toppers and am making a banner today. Sometime. 

And also, sometime today and tomorrow morning, I am:

Doing laundry.

Cleaning the kitchen, living room, and bathroom.

Taking the boys for haircuts.

Going to the store.

Boiling eggs for deviled eggs.

Making chile-lime peanuts.

Cutting vegetables for the veggie tray.

Making black bean dip.

Cutting up cheese cubes.

Making olive & cheddar on rye appetizers.

Making four or five dozen cupcakes.

Brewing a couple gallons of sweet tea.

Showering and getting ready before guests arrive.

The thought crossed my mind to bake the cupcakes last weekend and freeze them but...I'm a procrastinator. And I really should have gotten the boys haircuts sometime this week but...I'm a procrastinator. The boys have been enlisted to help clean, however, because although I may procrastinate, I definitely know how to delegate. And my family and friends are already used to showing up while I'm still blow drying my hair or fixing the food. They still love me. 

I should probably get off of the computer now. I'll have pictures of the party soon and I'll let you know what did not get done before the party. 

Happy Birthday to My Sweet Baby Valentine

Knowing that M2 is my last baby has been so bittersweet and I have tried to treasure every single moment so far. But it seems like this was the quickest first year yet. M2 is definitely blessed to be the baby in this family. He is adored by all of his big brothers and never lacks love and attention. He has such a sweet, lovable personality and I'm blessed to be his Momma. He was my best Valentine's Day gift ever.

At the end of his first year, he has six teeth, can sign "eat" and wave bye-bye, plays patty-cake, gives love pats and kisses, loves music and dancing, can't get enough of his Daddy or brothers, is fascinated with the trash can, comes running when he hears water filling the tub, gives big, toothy grins when you point a camera at him, and loves his nurnies Momma.

Planning M2's First Birthday

My sweet baby boy will be turning one year old next month. I have been having small birthday celebrations for the boys for several years now, with just us and grandparents. My feelings toward birthday celebrations have changed over time and I chose to scale them down in order to shift the focus away from materialism. My original thoughts were that we would have larger parties for milestones, such as the 13th and the 18th. And, honestly, as our family grew bigger, I felt like it was asking too much of our friends and family to attend birthday parties so frequently, not to mention that it gets expensive.

But M2 is my last baby. {Yes, we moved to the other side of the fence on this issue. I still have mixed feelings about it, but that's probably a post of its own. One that I may never write.} And my feelings toward birthdays are shifting again. :) We do not know what our days hold in store for us. As I hear about tragedies befalling families, I feel that we should celebrate the blessings in our life as often as possible. My children are my blessings, so when I have a birthday party for them, it is really for me also. I'm not sure how we'll handle the gift issue yet, but I would like for it to be limited, maybe asking guests to donate to a charity if they choose. We have considered sponsoring a child with Compassion, so that would be one option. I'm also considering just requesting board books because a child can never have too many books. How would you handle it?



Originally, I was going to go with the sock monkey theme because we have always called M2 our "chunky monkey". {He was my biggest baby at 9 lbs, 2 oz and was 21 lbs by 6 months.} I found some adorable printable sock monkey decorations on Etsy.com.

But that changed when I was at Target last night. One of our all-time favorite books is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Target carries several TVHC party items, but I only bought the invitations ($3.99 ea) and stickers ($1.59) knowing that I could build on the whole theme without buying the rest. I love the bright primary colors and dots. It's a great theme for boys or girls. You could put more emphasis on the butterfly ending for girls.

I picked out party supplies in matching primary colors and grabbed some dotted treat bags ($1.99/20 ct) and tissue paper ($1.99) that works with the multi-colored dots from the book. I'll probably go back for the matching wrapping paper ($1.99). The yellow circle underneath is a straw placemat ($1.99) that I'll use under the food dishes. I'll need to get some more in red and green.

And, of course, when I got home, I jumped online to do a little research. My first inspiration is the caterpillar cupcake train at Coco Cake Boutique Cupcakes. A woman at church is a cake decorator, specializing in cupcakes, so I may ask her if she can replicate it. If we don't go that route and just do regular cupcakes, I love these cupcake toppers. They should be easy to make using primary colored cardstock and the round stickers from Target. To make the stickers go farther, I think I'll stick them on white paper and copy or scan them onto cardstock. The issue of food is covered in the book: we'll eat what the caterpillar ate. You can see great examples HERE and HERE. The homemade invites I've seen are super cute but I don't have that much time on my hands and they're just going to get thrown away. {Update: I'm going to try to make some poms too.}

Did I inspire you to try your own Very Hungry Caterpillar party for your little one? Check out some other Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday parties to see how other moms pulled it off:

Kailani's First Birthday

A Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday Party

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday Party: Tyson Turns 3

Grant's Very Hungry Caterpillar Party

Of course, I'll post pictures of the party when it happens...next month. And the next Saturday after M2's party, we're having a skating party for N, who is turning 12. Their birthdays are five days apart and they are my twins separated by 11 years. Same hazel eyes, same light brown hair. And three weeks after that, it will be time for L's fourth birthday. Thank goodness, the next birthday after that isn't until July...When my first-born turns 17!