I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day, either giving love to your mom or getting love from your kids– or both if you are lucky!
I saw this waffle wedding cake– and was intrigued! What a fun idea for a brunch wedding– or any kind of brunch party. 
It could be followed with a waffle bar for guests to customize their own– which is awesome any time of day or night. 
Yum! Waffles! I could have one right now…
As my birthday is poorly located 2 days before Christmas and celebrating anything else is just too much, I’ve been thinking of changing my birthday to June instead. Since I am not ready to be 6 months older {ahem} I’m thinking of having a half birthday party next month. That way most of my friends should be in town and I won’t be competing with all of the holiday parties.
What do you think? {image source}
P.S. I might need to have this drink, too.
Just around this time last year I was getting ready for a special little girl’s birthday party.
Starting from this inspiration page…
To this fun party {Part 1, Part 2}…
It was a great day, and I can’t help but smile looking at these pictures. Her mom and I had so much fun planning this party. I know this year will be just as special.
Happy Birthday, Charlee!
Most days I love living in Hong Kong.It’s a pretty cool city, and something amazes me everyday. But somedays it’s hard– and one of those days is my mom’s birthday.
My mom is the one who taught me to celebrate everyday, and that birthdays and holidays are important. It’s because of her that I am a thoughtful gift giver, party thrower, and good listener– because she is all of those things.
So today I dedicate my post to my mom. I hope your day is wonderful and worthy of your amazingness! xoxo
{image}
As everyone starts to trickle back into work, I’m betting there will be plenty of water cooler talk about what everyone did for the holidays, including your family’s traditions. While we,unfortunately, weren’t with family this year (we did get see them via Skype!) we made sure to keep up with some of our traditions to help the holidays feel merry. In some cases we added new activities {that I hope will become traditions!} or twists on the old that maintained our excitement of being in a new place.
My birthday is right before Christmas, making the holidays a bit of a marathon {but ensures I get everything done early!}. Usually I go shopping with my mom, then out to dinner. My husband treated us to a spa day {with an amazing view!} then out dinner {also a nice view}, a ride on the ferry, and ending with cupcakes, as we did for his birthday.
On Christmas Eve, we took a hike {a new tradition!} and ended the day with hot chocolate and something sweet {in the US I would have sugar cookies, but here we had stollen, a german rum bread that was amazing!}.
On Christmas Day we started with breakfast and presents {breakfast first, per tradition}, decorate a gingerbread house {as we started in 2010} while watching Love Actually, then we went out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants {the scallops and parsnips puree were so good!}. They gave us hats and antlers, so we took an impromptu picture {nearly holiday card worthy, no?}. And, here in Hong Kong, Boxing Day, the 26th, is also a holiday {thanks Brits, for that legacy!}, so we headed over to a friend’s house to hang out for the day {this is me, riding the subway wearing a Christmas present from my mom.}
For New Year’s Eve, after much back and forth, we decide to enjoy our new apartment and spend our first moments of 2013 on our terrace. I can’t say that we have strong traditions for this holiday, other than a bottle of nice bubbly! Some of our provisions below {champagne and the makings for s’mores with speculoos cookies in place of graham crackers}.
What are your family traditions? Did you parktake in them this year?
This past Sunday my husband celebrated his birthday– without me. You guys know how important birthdays are to me (any chance to celebrate, I am in!), so it was hard to be away from him, as he is still in DC wrapping up his job.
I’d already sent his gift to him earlier in the week. But I needed something to make his day — his actual day– special. Being apart is hard, but being overseas makes it even harder. I was thinking about cupcakes when a friend mentioned she was picking some up after our lunch. I was in! Turns out they were any cupcakes, but the best cupcakes in Hong Kong.
I picked up 2– his favorite kind and one for me, got some birthday candles at the supermarket {I had to ask to find them. They weren’t near the baking and cake supplies, but with the stationery items…not sure I’ve figured that one out, but I’m glad I found them), and waited until the next evening {his AM} on the day of his birthday.
We were talking via google video chat, as we usually do. Thankfully, the computer camera is only so big, so I was able to prep everything before bringing it on screen. 
I didn’t sing {because I have a terrible voice} but I did make him blow out the candle. I think he liked it, even if he didn’t taste the cupcake himself. {My mom called it a diet cupcake for this reason!} 
I hope it made his day a little special, even though we couldn’t be together. {We will be for my birthday, thank goodness, which isn’t too far away!}
I haven’t {as of writing this} eaten his cupcake, but mine was amazing! My friend wasn’t kidding that these are the best in Hong Kong. From a place on Queens Road in Wanchai {near Star St} this little shop Sift offered this gem called S’mores– 
Toasted marshmallow, chocolate ganache, chocolate cupcake with a graham crust. We will definitely be returning for my birthday.
Did you grow up with birthday traditions in your family? Since I grew up in Florida and my birthday is in December, I always remember having fresh squeezed orange juice from the oranges from the tree in our backyard on my special day. That, and my mom taking me shopping.
If you are thinking about starting some traditions with your kid(s)– something they can count on and look forward to every year, here are some great suggestions. Pick one or more and have fun with it– as long as it’s special to you both, it could have the same impact as a yearly party. {via Calgarys Child}
1. Rise and shine. Wake kids up on their birthday not with, “Get up! It’s time for school!” but with an extra long snuggle and the condensed version of the day they were born. Who doesn’t like to hear their birth story?! Adopted and foster children can be told how they were meant to be brought into the family and how special they are.
2. Birthday letter. Type up a birthday letter for each child telling them what great things they did and said and learned during the past year. Give the birthday child a copy, then save a copy in a binder and on the computer because we all know kids can’t keep track of stuff. Then plan to give each of child a copy of all their letters when they move out, which means they’ll have somewhere between 18 and 30 letters to enjoy!
3. Birthday slideshow. With just a few clicks of your mouse, you can create a special slideshow using PowerPoint or a similar computer program. Just pop in photos, size them and add cute captions. You can even add some music if you like. After your child watches it about a zillion times, save it to a CD and pop it in a special place (safe deposit box, fireproof box, etc.) so your child will always have it.
4. Photos. Take as many pictures as you can on birthdays and even make sure you are included in some of them! Later, we can get out old photo albums and the birthday kid’s baby album.
5. Special meal. Some kids love the neighborhood restaurant where they sing Happy Birthday and are given a balloon to take home. Others are content heading to the local fast-food indoor play area and grabbing bites of food in between trips down the slide. Make at least one meal of the birthday child’s day something out of the ordinary!
6. Special treat. Hit the cupcake restaurant or grab huge, frosted cookies from a local baker and share with our friends and neighbors to spread the celebration around. A cheap – and just as special – route would be to make your child’s favorite dessert at home: cookies, cake, banana splits, shakes or ice cream sundaes are always a good bet. Depending on which fruit is in season (or go frozen!), a decadent fruit smoothie made with frozen yogurt could be nice.
7. Party (doesn’t have to be on the actual birthday). If you get a few gray hairs every time you think of planning a birthday party, don’t fret. Options include: a simple party at your place with just a few people, a bash at a park shelter or a celebration where a local children’s party place does all the work.
8. Birthday weekend sleepover with a few special friends (for kids over age seven). Warning: this one is not for the faint of heart! Maybe suggest a maximum of three friends to stay the night at your house on a Friday night around the time of your child’s birthday. Order pizza to make life easy on yourself, grab some movies from the library and have them set up their sleeping bags as far away from your bedroom as possible.
I love this colorful and artistic bash. Think I could use it for my next 30 {something} party? {via 100 Layer Cake}
Do you watch Portlandia? I’ve only watch a few episodes, but I laugh hysterical through them. They have a skit about the popularity of the hipster use of birds called “Put A Bird On It.”
Well, Whales are the new birds. Expect to see these gentle giants everywhere.
Top row: Whales at a party: card/tray/mobile/straw/salad tongs
Bottom row: Whales at home: tissue box/book ends/pillow/box/vase
I fell in love with this image on pinterest– and it turns out the party behind is just as cute. What a great theme for a 1 year old birthday party. I love the details, down to the activities.{via kojo Designs}
Don’t you just love it? I know I’ll be borrowing ideas from this great party.
