...just call me smitten

Have you ever seen anything more lovely?? Well, maybe I've been "not out" for too long but this has me smitten for sure!

Having a ball! Birthday Party for our Big 3 year old!

Look who's 3!!

Pals! Ashton-Boston-Delaney

all age 3

my baby boy..."LOOK at Daddy"!

Does the look on their faces just speak to you? I asked them to sit on the step, and the shuffle of who/where/how.... Laney just wanted to sit RIGHT next to B, Ashton moved here & there before settled...then I had them smile & she posed ( of course) they ignored (of course)

But I adore this snapshot...

can I open my present? can I open it now?

Boston kept asking to open it, finally settling for staring at it. W-A-I-T is a toddlers 4-letter word!

Inside- "Lello-copter" with BatMAN!

THE SCOOP

an easy party needs just 2 things

friends + treat...& momma needed it to be an easy one :)

Here's what we had:

Beverages, snacks {a la Daddy} Cake & Ice Cream

I made Meyer Lemon Cupcakes with Honey Frosting

seriously easy & wow-great combo!

And Ice Cream Sandwiches

Made like this- Costco chocolate chip cookie + Dreyers Vanilla Bean allowed to soften = perfect "homemade"

Ice Cream Sandwiches

{I forgot to get an after picture...}

Here are the favors for his friends siblings (recorders not so exciting to 6-11 year old sisters)

Made them with little necklace & Blow-Pop Lolli & cute tag (cute bouncing ball tag post to come later)

Our party favors & decor- what B loves the most -BALLS- and we have a bunch too- I had wanted to stick them in a large Hurricane Jar or something but buckets worked. Bouncy balls, tennis balls, wiffle balls, anything- I just looked for color :)

Then for favors, I found these cute recorders in perfect yellow, made a tag with names of his pals added ribbon- voile' -

Fabric penants or banner I made the day before....OH so easy & I love the ol' school party look, plus it's festive & not personalized so I can reuse it!!

Just pic colors & not too match match fabrics & basting tape {byw I can not sew, so this is for everyone}

Birthday Banner- "Having a ball!"

Fun & perfectly 3 Year Old Birthday

thanks for checking out our little celebration...I always get inspired by other peoples parties, creations, creativity & am happy to share any questions anyone has {like fonts, purchases etc}

Sharing is what makes the world go 'round!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOSTON!

...it comes highly recommended.

Oh if only every night dreams could be as full of fantasy as this book...

Have you read it?

Better yet have you read it to your kids? It's lovely full of wonder old school marvelous fantasy literture. And it comes highly recommended.

the copyright is the year I was born! And the face on the back of the book brings me back to my favorite movie instantly....

If you open a book, you'll enter another world all together

What's for dinner.....

DINNER IN A POCKET--->

I love my little dinner idea book from Martha. The app is even cooler, and always with me...

So I made this for dinner last night, looked fresh, lighter & still YUMMY. I struggled a bit on what to make along with it, til I remembered how much I LOVED Ina's Tabbouleh recipe...Here's how it all went down:

• 
  
• Riata - basic cucumber yogurt sauce
• I've used this one & it is better than the one included in the chicken-patty recipe
• 
  
• 1 (about 3/4 pound) cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1/4 cup whole-milk plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

I paired it with one of my all time favorite healthy non-lettuce salads... you know the kind- that have lots of crunch factor. This one works perfect and leftovers are appreciated.

Ina Garten's:

Ingredients

• 1 cup bulghur wheat
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (1 bunch)
• 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the bulghur in a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and add the lemon juice, olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Stir, then allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper; mix well. Season, to taste, and serve or cover and refrigerate. The flavor will improve if the tabbouleh sits for a few hours

all said & done, it was super yummy, even Chef Hubby loved it. Simple, delish, fresh & starting toward Summer flavors- a clear winner!

Try it & let me know how it goes...:)