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.

Coconut Cupcakes

Mmmm...that's the best word I can come up with to describe these delicious cupcakes. Even my husband, who does not like coconut, loves these cupcakes. They are overflowing with wonderful coconutty goodness and flavor. I like to think that they are healthier because of the benefits of coconut. This is my slightly adapted version of Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. {We usually eat them naked...sans frosting, silly.} And my recipe is doubled, so if you only want 12 cupcakes, cut the amounts in half. When I make them again, I'll add a new picture, but for now you can see them as our birthday cupcakes.

Coconut Cupcakes


3 1/2 c unbleached flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
3 lg eggs (or 6 egg whites)
1 1/2 c (most of 13.5 oz can) unsweetened coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 c organic sugar
1 c coconut oil or butter, room temperature
2 c unsweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. In another bowl, combine eggs, coconut milk, and extracts. In mixing bowl, cream sugar and coconut oil or butter on medium. Blend until light and fluffy (about 4 min.). Alternately, add flour mixture and milk mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture in three additions. Fold in coconut. Use ice cream scoop to fill muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake about 25-30 minutes or until set and just turning lightly golden. Cool in pan five minutes; remove to cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting, if desired.

Linked to Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Delectable Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Raising Homemakers, and Simply Homemaking.

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. 

Favorite Family Games

My boys love to play board games but the older ones tend to gravitate toward the Xbox instead. So, along with reviving family nights, we are going to bring out the board games and make them play! Actually, it won't be difficult to get the boys to play...the reluctant one will probably be Papa Bear.

And while I know the value of games in learning, I haven't been utilizing them in our homeschool lately. That's because of the wide range of ages and having a toddler. It's so frustrating for LJ when the older boys are playing a game that he doesn't understand. And no game is safe from M2 unless it's played at the kitchen table, but that's going to change soon. M2 has started climbing on low stools, so it's only a matter of time before he can scale the chairs and table.

The older boys love Monopoly and we have many versions of it. The most recent addition was the electronic version Monopoly Here and Now and it's the one they pick every time. I still prefer the original version simply because there is much more thinking and learning involved by having to keep track of your own money. We also have the original Monopoly, Dogopoly, Monopoly Jr., a British version that my aunt brought back for me when I was a teen, and an Irish version that my mother brought back from her travels as a flight attendant. Keeping with the money theme, they also like the Game of Life. Although, every time they play, I find the tiny people for weeks afterward.

We have a lot of games in our closet, but here are the ones that get the most use in our home:

Blokus

NG and IBc love this strategy game. LJ likes to take turns placing
the tiles on the board or just making designs.

Mancala

M1 used to wear me out with playing this simple game. Now his younger
brothers have discovered the joy of this counting strategy game.

Haba Orchard 

The hobbits love this cooperative game. It's similar to Hi Ho Cherry-O.
We have the old oversized version with wooden fruit.

Mastermind for Kids
A great logic game for kids.

Checkers
Good old checkers. We have had a beautiful wooden chess set for years
but no one was motivated to learn how to play. I purchased some
wood checker pieces and now it's getting regular use.

This post was inspired by Ordinary Life Magic. If you would like to have the chance to win a new game (value up to $30) for your family, head over for her CSN game giveaway. It ends Friday, February 18, 2011.