Baby Shower Season: Invitations

Six of my friends are expecting this year! It's baby shower season for me. Is it baby shower season for you too? Several showers are on the horizon including one for my sister. She's expecting the first baby in my family! The little guy is supposed to arrive in August so her shower is coming soon.

With such a baby shower flurry, I thought I'd do a series on "Baby Showers" for you. First stop, invitations!

My sister's nursery theme is the Jungle and I found these perfect Jungle Boy invitations for her shower! When looking for invitations, my first stop is to peruse my favorite paper websites. I like to look through these websites to find ideas if I'm going to make invitations by hand, a ready-made invitation to purchase and print at home, and even ideas for how to word invitations.

Resources:

• http://www.tinyprints.com/
• http://www.polkadotdesign.com/
• http://www.paper-source.com/
• http://www.invitationbox.com/
• http://www.lemontreepaperie.com/
• http://www.paperieandco.com/
• http://www.paperstyle.com/
• http://www.redstamp.com/
• http://www.traylorpapers.com/
  

Wish List Cookbooks

I don't think I could ever have too many cookbooks. Here are two I recently purchased as prizes for a work event. After flipping through them, they were very hard to part with!


Cupcakes! - $16.95
This cookbook will send you running to the nearest Sprinkles to satisfy your recently on-set cupcake craving. Beautiful photography and tempting recipes like Lemon Angelsfood and Cinnamon Sugar Puffs - I don't know how you pick which one to try first!




Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics - $35.00
This book is filled with simple recipes which suprised me coming from Ina Garten. Many recipes have just 5-10 ingredients and looked like they focused on simple but flavorful recipes. There are also many helpful hints such as crowdpleasers and what not to make for a party.

Do you know the Donut Man?

Everyone should be lucky enough to know the Donut Man. The Donut Man is a local favorite hot spot for donuts...in Glendora, CA. They make a strawberry donut that is unheard of. It is worth driving 50 miles from South Orange County just to pick one up. My husband and I have contemplated such nonsence. In season they make fresh strawberry donuts, its a glazed puffy donut sliced in half and filled with fresh strawberries and strawberry pie glaze. It's even better than strawberry pie. The best thing $2.50 can buy.

They are open all night and you'll see local college students stoping by for an early morning fix. The Donut Man bakes fresh donuts all night long. They also make a peach one in season, I've still yet to try one...it's on my list of things to try before I die.

Why I Love Saturday Mornings

Who doesn't love saturday mornings right? Well I love Saturday mornings because my husband and I started a new tradition. We sleep in, get showered then head straight down to the beach for a late breakfast. It's our new "date night". And I love it. Driving with the windows down, listening to Jack Johnson, eating pancakes and bacon with a view of the pacific ocean. Then we go for a walk on the beach (or just sit and soak up the sun if we're too full.) It feels like being on vacation for a few hours. You should try it sometime. :)

One of our favorite places to eat is the Pacific Whey Cafe in the Crystal Cove shopping center off PCH in Newport Beach. You can sit outside and enjoy the incredible view of the ocean across the street. I like the School Boy breakfast because I can never decide what I want to eat (I want a little of everything) and that is what this breakfast comes with: pancakes, toast, fruit, potatoes, bacon & eggs. My hubby gets the breakfast burrito. I think he wanted another one for dinner last night. We're also fans of the Cottage in Laguna Beach that I posted on previously.

Quote of the Day

"You can do anything, but not everything." --David Allen, Productivity Consultant

Easter Candy!

You don't have to be a kid to get an Easter basket full of your favorite candy! Why not make up a basket for your spouse, best friend, sibling or favorite co-worker? No matter what their age I'm sure they'll appreciate it. I know my husband looks forward to his each year. (He is my substitute child until we have our own. At which point I'll have to keep up these holiday traditions for him as well otherwise he'll be very disappointed!)

Today I ran to Target during my lunch break and bought a basket from the dollar section and filled it with some of his (and mine!) favorite Easter sweets. We leave the basket out as the centerpiece of our dining room table so we can indulge anytime.

Don't forget some of these treats only come around once a year! Like Cadbury eggs and Hershey marshmellow eggs. And my very favorite...Lindt's Bugs and Bees! (Milk chocolate filled with creamy chocolate hazelnut cream and crispy rice.)