The Extremely Awesome DIY Cars Birthday Party!

This year was Nico's last birthday he will have while living here in Puerto Rico, so we decided to do it BIG! 

He turned 2 years old and I'll admit, my mom and I got a little carried away! 

 

 I made the invitations using Microsoft Publisher and pictures and fonts downloaded from the internet for FREE! It cost me about $10 to have them printed on glossy paper at Office Depot.

  

There was one side with the information in Spanish and one with information in English for our bilingual birthday bash. 

 

The theme was cars (not the movie) since Nico has an obsession with toys cars, and to save money we DIY'ed everything we could, even his candle!   

Regular Candle + Sharpie       

Most of the decorations were done by hand also.We used a lot of paint and a very old hot glue gun.

 

To make other party favors and decorations we used sheets of foam, construction paper, glue, and printed pictures of the birthday boy. 

 

The goody bags were just plain black bags from Party city with construction paper to create the lights and a little flag was later added to keep the bag from folding open. 

For his cake table, we used table cloths and banners that were ordered from Ebay. 

 

I would like to personally thank my aunt who made and decorated Nico's delicious birthday cake! 

  

Based on some adorable ideas from Pinterest, we made cute little labels for each dish that we decided to serve. I created each label on Publisher and downloaded the fonts and images from the internet. 

We served hot dogs, french fries, chocolate doughnuts, pigs in a blanket, chicken nuggets, sandwiches de mezcla (traditional Puerto Rican party food), and chips and dip! 

The food was such a hit that our guests gobbled it up before I got to snap a picture of the lay out, but I have included a few labels to give the idea. 

The Iced Tea reads Motor Oil, the Lemonade reads Anti Freeze

 

 

My extremely talented mother and I my this piñata togeteher using an old box, super glue, tissues paper, construction paper, and tape! We were very proud that it at least resembled a car!

Though all the really mattered was that the kids had a blast destroying it!

 

 Nico was the only one who wasn't very enthusiastic about scrambling for the candy. 

I guess he is wise beyond his years, knowing that there was plenty to go around!

 

However, after some encouragement on my end, he eventually reached in and picked up just one toy. 

 

I think what he enjoyed most were the games, crafted by my mother and me!  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Each little player tried their hardest and each little winner got a mini prize!  

 

What I enjoyed most was the beautiful photo booth once again made by my mother using a sharpie, a large box, and construction paper.

Nico and his lovely Grandmother AKA The Artist

And even though I was against it in the beginning; when in doubt, get a bouncy house. 

As much as I hate to admit it, it was a huge success! All the little ones who were too shy to participate in the games enjoyed bouncing to their heart's content. 

*Tip!!*

Make the older kids and the younger kids take turns.

(Learned this the hard way after my poor little guy got trampled, basically my worst nightmare)

Baby Bounce!

 

 We enjoyed spending an amazing day with family and friends...

My cousin's gorgeous daughter

 

and we were blessed enough to be able to take such a memorable picture! 

Primos = Cousins!!

Nico is holding the "O"

 

I honestly could not imagine a more perfect 2nd Birthday Extravaganza!  

**All of the inspiration for this party came from Pinterest pins all saved to my board Nico's 2nd Birthday Party **

Back to School, Again

August is here, and if you are headed back to school you have mixed feelings about the month of "back-to-school." On one hand, you get to catch up with all of your friends that you didn't get to hang out with during the summer! On the other hand, if you're in the "mommy in school" boat, you must once again fill up your book bag and head off to classes leaving your little ones (and your comfortable bed) behind.

It seems like there is so much to do and so little time to prepare. I found myself caught between wanting to make the most of my last days of summer and scrambling to get ready for the impending school year.

 Thankfully, being a college senior comes with the perks of being a back-to-school expert!

In My Backpack:

• *1 Notebook Per Class
• 1 Pack of College-Ruled Paper
• 1 accordion file
• *1 Pack of Note Cards
• *Agenda
• 1 Pack of Pens
• *2 Packs of Pencils
• 1 Pencil Pouch
• 2 Highlighters 
• *Pencil Sharpener 

*I like to have hard copies of my notes and schedule instead of using a digital device, because anything can happen. During my first semester of my junior year, I used a Kindle Fire for basically everything, however when it froze and died on me half way through the semester I learned a hard lesson. 

My Look For the Day: 

A plain camisole with a light sweater or jacket, loose leg jeans, and comfortable shoes.

This is perfect when you don't know the temperature of your classroom yet; if it's rather warm, you can push up your sleeves or ditch the sweater, and if it's cold you'll be comfortable!

Accessorize with dangle earrings, a delicate necklace, and a french braid!

Good Luck! ;)

Have a great, productive day!

Surviving the Tropical Storm

Hurricane season is upon us! Erika is knocking on our door and she might be coming in whether we like it or not! The most important thing about an upcoming storm is being prepared. Nothing will put you at ease more than knowing you are ready for whatever the storm might blow your way! 

*Important Tips

• Don't wait until the last minute to prepare - Don't go out hours before the storm is going to hit expecting to find everything on your list. Be responsible and try to get ready a few days early. 
• Stay informed - Know the current details of the storm that is moving toward you! 
• Stay inside! - Once the storm starts, stay inside no matter what! Pets should NEVER be left outside during a storm. Trust your gut; if your boss is calling you, but you just saw a chicken fly by your window, it's OK to let it go to voicemail. 
• Stay calm, Make an Emergency Plan - Chances are, this is not your first time going through a storm, and if it is, there is a reason why the rest of us aren't freaking out. As long as you are prepared there is nothing to be worried about. God is in control and He loves us! 

*for those of you who live in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands, I am using Google Public Alerts to keep track of the tropical storm Erika. The website is also the source of more excellent tips and safety information. 

IN CASE OF BLACK OUT….

6 Must Have Supplies:

• Bottled water - If you freeze 3 packs of water you can use 2 of them to keep the food cold in your fridge and one of them to thaw and drink! 
• A grill or mini grill - Something to cook on if the power goes out. 
• Aluminum foil - For cooking things on the grill 
• Candles - Because candles don't run out of batteries. 
• Flashlight or Lantern - Because sometimes candles aren't quite bright enough to chase monsters away. (; Don't forget the batteries ;)
• Deck of cards - To see how many games you can make up in one night! 

4 Dinner Ideas: 

• Sandwiches - Tuna, ham, cheese, turkey, Swiss, the list goes on and on! There has never been a better excuse to eat a delicious grilled sandwich! 
• Hot Dogs - The go-to grill food, accompanied with your favorite chips! 
• Fish - Wrap some seasoned fish in aluminum foil with olive oil and toss it on the grill for a delicious healthy snack
• Baked Potatoes - Wrap in aluminum foil and bake of the grill with the lid on; don't forget to add the yummy toppings! 

3 Activities to Brighten the Night: 

1. Shadow Puppet Theater - Act out TV shows or movies, or make up something totally original! 
2. Read a Book Out Loud - Each person can read for a different character, or the person with the most enchanting voice can captivate everyone else! 
3. Never Ending Story - One person begins the story with 2 sentences and the next person adds to it with their 2, etc. See how long your group or family can keep it going! 

Mommy & Me Monday!

Let's start the week with a little LOVE.

(It makes the world go 'round)

He is the cutest toddler in the world and he's all MINE! 

HAPPY MONDAY ;)