KIDS' PARTIES

I'm coming up on H's 3rd Birthday Party so I thought now would be a good time to share some simple party planning tips.  Use these to plan not just an upcoming birthday in your family but also for holiday parties all month long.  Parties only have to get as complicated as you let them - check out what I find to be helpful below and see what you can't bring to your next event.

To come up with a theme start with what the guest of honor likes.  Trains, construction, princesses, super heros, ice skating?  OK, there's your theme - yeah it's that simple.  Now run with it.  I saw the cutest article about a 5th birthday in Parents Magazine this month where the kid loved office supplies.  The table runner was made from bubble wrap, centerpieces were made of elastic balls, paperclips were used to hold signs, etc.  It was super cute but so simple if you think about it.  The key is to think INside the box of all that goes with the decided upon theme.

So your guests know what to expect, start with the invite, of course.  It gives a glimpse of what's to come, not only by giving place, date and time but by displaying the theme in a creative way.  Take the princess theme for example.  Mock up a pic of your little one dressed up in her favorite fancy dress and let that be your invite.  Or use pre-made tiara, frog, or carriage invites.

For the party, think like your guest of honor and his friends.  Kids have short attention spans so keep the party short - 2 - 2.5 hours max?  Is your child still napping?  Then chances are their friends are too - try to plan the party around said nap time.  And don't forget to incorporate kid-friendly foods (extra points if you match them to the theme).  Have things that they'll gladly snack on available but don't forget the parents.  If you can swing it, have another option for the chaperones; grown ups aren't always pleased with chicken fingers and french fries.

Be sure to keep things moving.  If you have a few activities planned, kids won't get bored (read cranky and ready for a meltdown). A half hour each of a few crafts, stories, or entertainment paired with lunch and cake and there you have it.  You've got yourself a party, my friends.

End it all with favor bags for friends to take away in order to remember the best party ever.  Keep with the theme and all will not be forgotten.  And remember, food/candy is always a good takeaway.

Start planning far enough in advance so that you can get a schedule in order and get tasks ticked off your list slowly but surely.  But not too far that you end up with a party that's disjointed and over thought.  Remember, you don't want to be exhausted on the day of the party; the idea is to actually enjoy it.

MAKING ROOM

With the holiday season upon us I've been doing some cleaning - holiday cleaning I guess you could call it...vs. spring cleaning?  I've had some clothes that I haven't worn in a while, H has grown out of some of his (of course), and he's got some toys that he's outgrown too.

It's all perfect, really, because I know that between his birthday and mine and the holidays, we'll have more stuff coming in that I frankly don't have room for.  So this mass purging couldn't have been more perfect if I planned it.  Maybe my subconscious did?

Of course, I'll be donating all of the old things as always and anything that's too worn will get tossed.  For a little guy, H is actually pretty careful with his things (obsessor).  I've found that local daycares and playgroups really go wild for the old toys and if you don't have friends, family, or neighbors with younger kids then the Salvation Army is always a great place to donate the clothes.

And H doesn't mind giving his toys away because I explain to him what we're doing - giving the younger kids the toys and clothes that he doesn't use anymore because they'll use them more than he will.  He actually thinks it's great.  That's a win, win, win in my book.

MHM! #obsession

Economy Candy is this week's MHM.  My friend and fabulous event planner of Oh So Fab fame, Tina LaMorte, first introduced me to Economy when candy buffets were all the rage at weddings (I think they're still popular because who doesn't love a chocolate covered pretzel and bag of M&M's at the end of the night?  Let's get serious.).  But I've come to use Economy for everything because they have everything you could ever imagine.  It's like Wonka's factory but in real life.  I even bumped into Jake Gyllenhaal there once, whom I suppose could be categorized under the candy category.

Bulk candies, old fashioned candy, home made treats like chocolate covered s'mores and pretzels (a la above).  Economy is no joke.  So sometimes I'll drop by the small LES shop on a random Tuesday to get my sweet tooth fix and other times I'll go there for serious matters, like when I was making ring pop boxes for the most recent bridal shower I planned, or now for my son's birthday party which is slowly creeping up on me...for color coordinated M&M's for the favor bags of course.

Check them out either in person: 108 Rivington Street, NYC or online www.economycandy.com and you won't ever be disappointed.

I'M THANKFUL

This is a great week to come back because there's so much to be thankful for.  On the East Coast (in NYC especially) if the last few weeks have taught us nothing else (again) it's to be thankful for what we have.

Our lives may feel crappy and overwhelming at times but at least we have them.  Of course, of course, everyone is bound to have bad days, face difficult situations, and stressful things happen in our lives sometimes on a daily basis.  Actually, I think overall I had a pretty rough year myself, but life is too short to dwell on the negatives.  If you have your loved ones with you, a roof over your head, and your health, I think I can safely argue that that is what truly matters.

I'm OK with where I am now, feeling fortunate, and wanting to give back especially on this day of all days.  If you are too, check out what local churches or food banks in your area are doing.  You may even find ideas on your city's website.  You can even type "thanksgiving volunteer (your city) 2012" into your browser to see what pops up.  Can't physically volunteer?  New Yorkers: City Harvest is taking $10 donations via Groupon to feed 40 New Yorkers Thanksgiving meals.  Because, honestly, people (children!) without food is a real issue worth stressing over.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Enjoy the time with your friends and families.

I'VE GOT SOME 'SPLAININ' TO DO

OK, it's obvious I've been MIA for some time.  After a while my "cable situation" (as I refer to it now) was to blame, but I stopped posting for about a month because I. simply. couldn't. do. it.

I was feeling so overwhelmed, exhausted, and out of ideas, to be completely frank.  Life was just too much.  I don't consider myself a typical single mom because H's dad is very much involved...but via another state so he's not here to help me with the day to day.  Add going back to work full time to the mix, H starting school and the challenges that come with that, trying to squeeze my workouts in (bc I'm miz if I don't), all while keeping up with the day to day.  Coming up with fresh ideas to write about just wasn't fun anymore.  I think I had a break from reality for a while there if not a breakdown and, as a result, realized that I needed to let some things go.

It's tough being a single mom; doing every little thing on your own.  Especially if you're like me and feel like you have to be perfect and do it all.  If there are any moms out there - single or not - who have ideas to help not just me but other readers, please post.  Because I think any advice we can give each other, big or small, will not only help but will make us feel more normal.  And knowing we're not the only "crazy" ones out there stressing over how we're going to find time to bake for our kid's school makes us feel good too.

I now know that it's OK if I can't get it all done because while I want to be all things for everyone in my life (particularly myself - hello?  I'm an Obsessor, lol) I have to let some things go sometimes so I can be present in the moment for the things that truly matter.  If the dishes have to sit in the sink overnight so I can properly put my son to bed, no one's going to die.  I know that now.

So I'm back and excited to write.  Still planning to stick to the old schedule of MHM with regular posts on Tuesdays and Thursdays but if I miss a day you'll know why.  And my cable is still down as of right now and a girl can only drink so much coffee and eat so much sushi (shout out to Tobiko in Astoria for the free wifi...and delicious sushi), so until I'm up and running at home you'll have to bear with.  Thank goodness for Post Settings on Blogger.

Keep it real.

MHM! #obsession

      Today’s MHM! #obsession is yoga and/or meditation practice.  I recently started taking yoga classes because I found myself debating one Saturday night whether or not I should check myself into a mental facility (I’m half kidding).  After I decided that I didn’t want to move into a hospital for who knows how long, perhaps be put on medication, miss work, not see my friends, and all that goes along with solitary confinement I decided to go a less permanent route.  The next day I found myself at a Buddhist Temple meditating and listening to sermons from Monks for three hours (not kidding at all)...and all felt good in the world again. 

Meditation is a very disciplined practice and, while I love the idea of it, I’m still researching what type is right for me (there are many).  In the meantime, I’ve fallen in love with yoga.  One of my best friends recommended it as it combines meditation with inner and outer strength building, spirituality, and (what I’ve found and found the most helpful), peacefulness or an overall sense of calm especially in our hectic, over-scheduled worlds.  I only go a few times a week but I always look forward to it and feel amazing afterwards – as if I can take on anything.  It’s only been a few weeks since I’ve started but I already look at the world with a different set of eyes.  I’m more appreciative of what I have, take on stressful situations with a better sense of calm, and feel a greater sense of appreciativeness.  Not just for what I have, but for everything.

Hear me?