Yoshi egg and Mushroom cookies

How cool are these?  My friend came early before the party and helped me whip these out quick.  The kids loved them and gobbled em all up!!

It's almost Mario time!

Well the big Mario party is tomorrow and I thought I would throw up a few other pictures while I have a couple minutes.  I have to finish up the mushroom and Yoshi egg cookies and then we will be all set!!

Mario star pops

This cake is just amazing! 

Everything is edible except the racers

Another view of the cake

Back of the cake

I added little buttons for the kids to wear with their Mario/Luigi Hats and their mustaches

I will post more photos of the cookies and the actual party tomorrow! (Well maybe next week...as I have been so busy I may just sleep after the party lol)

So my brain is going 10,000 directions...

I was thinking that it would be a good idea to crack out a bunch of freezer meals for when school starts since I probably will be a walking zombie until of course my hubby is finally home for good to help relieve a little of my stresses.  I still have to pick out my classes, go to orientation, get text books, take the boys to the dentist, go to get sealants, take Tristan to his yearly check up, do hot lunch, drive for field trip, finish the training for work, get work shoes, take the truck in to get some new module, go to my doctor appointment, maintain and take care of the 2 younger ones at home while Tristan is at school, get cleaning done, finish planning and executing Tristan's party and what ever else pops up along with the daily routine.  UGH...I think I would like to take a nap.  

Doesn't help the matter that Tristan started feeling crappy last night and it is passing to Carmine who so thoughtfully passed it to me....hmmm I can see where this is headed...Jakoby...oh happy days!  Vitamin C will be my new best friend as I already disinfected the house to kick out the germs.

Better finish up putting the Christmas decorations away and get the kids in the bath and start winding them down so I can do all the little miscellaneous odds and ends before I am able to sleep...

What a crazy life I lead...

Besides the holidays, planning three birthday parties, raising three boys and doing all that I do at school I have recently got a job AND just got accepted into UWGB for my Bachelor's Degree...alas I may never sleep again!

We hit a rough patch and it hit me hard...then I realized that I never wanted to feel that way again and something had to change.  I could either have a "pity party" and be like poor me...or I could be the strong person that I am and "get things done" and that is what I have been doing.  There is no stopping me now!  

So, I may be here even less but just know that I appreciate each and every one of you that takes the time to stop by and read all the blabber that I decide to type.  I hope that some of the things I post can help others, give you ideas or maybe inspire you to do something.  If not hey, I tried...lol

Someone asked me if I would still coupon when I started school and was working and I said but OF COURSE!  In fact I got 3 boxes of Flinstone's vitamins today at Target for $1.13 oop...that is a way of life for me...I LOVE COUPONS!!  There are so many sites out there in the cyber world that I know I don't need to continually post deals as those sites are as common as a gas station...there's one on every corner...

Sure I'll try and post some great deal pics here and there...(maybe I'll just post a whole bunch at once lol) 

 I can admit 2011 ended pretty crappy for me and my family but this year is a new year with new posibilities and the only one that can stop me is me...if your are going to stand in my way, please step aside, I have things to accomplish! (That is my new motto! :)

And here is my new theme song:

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL New Year!!

 Don't let anyone stop you from being you! ;)

Next up...Mario Birthday Party!

My oldest son will turn 8 at the end of the month and his party request....MARIO...of course!  While they have lots of different Mario party kits on line we decided that mom would get the gears moving and see what she could all come up with....

Here is a little teaser of what I have all done so far...

Mushroom goodie bags (filled with all the Mario essentials: pencils, Mario pins, erasers, multi color swirl pops, Mario yo-yos and a few other things)

I actually just finished these tonight...piranha plants of course!  Then I was thinking a bowl of atomic fireballs for each table.

I am going to make Star pops, I got gold coins to find and help save the Princess.  I made Mario and Luigi visors and have mustaches to go with.  We are going with a blue, red, yellow and purple color scheme.  This party is gonna be a blast.  The invitations I ordered on ebay and they look like concert tickets...

My friend will be at it again with her knock out cakes...

Be sure to check back and see what I all come up with!!

Jake and the Neverland Pirates Party!

For some reason my children like to keep me on my toes when it comes to their birthday party themes.  My son decided that for his 4th birthday he NEEDED a Jake and the Neverland Pirates Party.  Since this is such a new show they really don't have any stuff out yet for the party.  That is when your creative gears have to start turning!

Shortly after my son said that he wanted a pirate party I found a great deal from Little Tykes on pirate costumes so I bought a bunch of those.  I ordered several pirate themed party items from Oriental Trading (treasure chests, create your own telescope, pirate gift bags, pirate pencils, compasses, pirate silly bands, skull necklace kits, a sword craft kit for the kids...I went all out.)  The dollar store had quite a few pirate items so I also picked up some of those and plenty of gold deblumes.  Because let's face it how can you have a treasure hunt without any gold??

I even made little bags of "pixie dust" as part of the kids parting gift (it was cute I just didn't want them tearing in at my house ;) I can tell you they ALL had a blast.  We ordered a Jake pinata off of ebay, it didn't work when we pulled the strings BUT they kids loved it anyways and it looked cool.  My good friend made a cake that was a little over 2 feet tall and all the kids thought it was the best thing since sliced bread...haha

You can find some great party ideas from Disney online and print off and make your own invitations and thank you's! Enjoy the pics!!

Mookie n his Jake cake!

We went with a classic red and black pirate color theme

Pirate "thank you" swirl pops

Pixie Dust

A few of the pirates!

Pirates have to eat too!!

Craft time!

Swords, treasure chests and telescopes!

Pirate Costumes

The red table

Goodie bags!!

Nightmare Before Christmas Costume Birthday party!

The candy table

My only requests...Jack, Oogie Boogie, Lock, Shock, Barrel and Zero...PERFECTION!

So, I have been SUPER duper busy this last few months as all three of my boys are born back to back.  I put lots of thought time and effort into their parties and thought I would share some of them in a few posts.  

What is a Halloween Party without ghost doughnuts?

I took several shots of the candy table...it looked awesome with the lights out

"Grave yard treat" with lots of pumpkins since Jack is the pumpkin King

This cake just blew everyone away!

I added black white and purple ribbons to accent the color themed candy

Pumpkin patch rice krispies and popcorn "hands"

Another view of the candy table

Some of the food

LOVED the cake plates!

More color themed candy

Look at that cute little Jack smash cake!

My baby din't waste any time!

We had LOTS of pumpkins in the front yard

Jack pops, purple cupcakes we went all out!

These went home with all the guests and were a HUGE hit!

All the kids loved the party and had a great time!

Let me say I was PUMPED to have a baby born so close to Halloween as that is one of my most favorite holidays!! It was obvious what his first birthday party theme would be....Nightmare Before Christmas I mean does it get more perfect??  I even found a Nightmare Before Christmas birthday party kit on ebay...so it was go time!  I decided to use a black, white and purple theme and just ran with it.  One of my childhood friends makes cakes as a hobby and she ADORES Nightmare Before Christmas and surprisingly had never done a cake in that theme before so she was up to the challenge.  Let me tell you this was the AWESOME-EST cake EVER!!! She made the inside orange and used green butter cream like Oogie Boogie...too cool!!  

We bobbed for apples, pumpkin bowled, did Halloween crafts and just had lots and lots of fun.  I really enjoyed creating this party.