Setting the baby shower bar

Even though I’m more than 9 months pregnant, I’m still not what you might call baby crazy. So when my sister said she was going to throw me a baby shower, I must admit, I was skeptical.

First off, no one ever seems excited to go to a baby shower.

Secondly, I’ve heard horror stories about what goes on at these events. One friend told me about a shower game featuring diapers with a “guess the melted candy bar inside” motif. Ewwww!

Third off, I’m nearly 40. I feel bad having an event where my friends/family have to come and buy me stuff. “This baby isn’t a consumer event!” I thought — even though, so far, I’d say it kind of is.

“People want to celebrate your new baby,” friends told me.

Okay, fine.

So my sister started planning.
And planning.
And planning.

“What could she possibly be doing?” I wondered.

Here’s what she was doing:

Creating a theme
Knowing that I wouldn’t want anything that screamed BABY — she chose nests as a theme (egg 1) and thought of EVERYTHING. Gorgeous centerpieces with nests where you could place notes (see below), cards for conversation starting, even gift bags for people to carry home their goodies (I never would have thought of this).

***

Gift eggs
Everyone who came got an egg box filled with cool nesting stuff (egg 2): a bird wine stopper, an egg/nest necklace (she made them all by hand — see egg 3), some vanilla bath salts in a hand-stamped pouch, and candy eggs.

***

Cake topper
Seeing some birdy cake toppers on Etsy, my sister thought, “I can do that even better,” so she created two birds and a nest from Sculpey, using lollipop sticks for the legs (egg 4).

***

Games?
There were games — but they were optional and innocuous, like guessing the candy eggs and/or diapers in the jar (egg 5).

***

Conversation starters
In case people were struggling with conversation, she put facts about childbirth and questions about how we were raised on the table (i.e. The oldest woman to give birth was 63).

***

Advice
She cut out little sheets of paper into the shape of birds (again, by hand) for people to give me advice — either from their own experience as a parent, or what their parents did that affected them positively. One of my faves: Liquidize tastyfood from an early age so they are not picky! P.S. Be prepared for excess gas and adult intestine problems.

The result, a beautiful event that even heavy downpours couldn’t dampen.

You’re amazing, Stephanie!!!

Here comes the wedding video

It’s not enough to have a cool wedding these days — it has to be cool AND committed to film.

My friends Chris and Jess had an amazingly beautiful wedding in Malibu this past September — and they have THE hippest wedding video I’ve ever seen.

Take a look >>

(I have a cameo in Groucho Marx glasses around 2:55).

Happy birthday to Sesame Street craft

My husband just sent me the link that demonstrates how to make these awesome, yet potentially labor-intensive Sesame Street lollipops.

If anyone tries, feel free to send one over.

When cute animals are way too annoying

What’s Cracking Good — FU, Penguin

The author of Fuck You, Penguin is angry…really angry at adorable animals.

Upon reading this hilarious blog, it’s easy to see why. Here’s an excerpt from one post lambasting a beaver:

If there’s one thing I hate, it’s animals that try to live their lives like high-concept performance pieces. I bet this beaver literally shit his pants when he saw this sign (which is most likely why he is not wearing pants).
Obviously, he had it coming to him.

Check out more super annoying cuteness at Fuck You, Penguin.

Pumpkins, peas, watermelon and mes

I recently had a birthday and decided to celebrate with a relatively low-key evening: A few friends, some tacos, maybe a margarita or two.

One friend (Miss Lynh Bui!) kicked the down-home dinner up a notch with an amazing garden-inspired cake growing pumpkins, peas, melons and mes.

And a close-up… (The peas are made from frosting and green M&Ms. Genius!)

It’s peanut butter jelly time!

What’s Cracking Good — PB & Js

Cherry Dot sent me a link to their adorable jewelry made to look like miniature sweet treats. One of my faves (of course!) is the PB & J pendant necklace (though the friendship necklace is also very cute).

All this PB&J got me excited about all the other peanut butter and jelly stuff available online, like:

PB & J pendant necklace
A reminder of all that’s good in the world.

I Love Peanut Butter, $4-6
More than just peanut butter, this company takes roasted nuts to the next level. Spicy — downright gourmet, this place has it.

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book, $6.78
More than just PB&J on bread…this book has many more options.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Lip Balm, $2.50

True Love Postcard Set, $6

Peanut Butter & Jelly Spreader, $7.99
“That is just ridiculous,” says my husband upon viewing the spreader. But for those who believe a knife just isn’t enough…
***

And now for the compulsory addition to any peanut butter & jelly post, a viewing of the Peanut Butter Jelly Time video (I looked up the words).

Now everyone repeat after me:
It’s peanut butter jelly time! Peanut butter jelly time! Peanut butter jelly time!
Now where he at? Where he at? Where he at? Where he at?
Now there he go. There he go. There he go. There he go.
Peanut butter jelly! peanut butter jelly!
It’s peanut butter jelly with a baseball bat.

Eating the sh*t out of some peaches

What’s Cracking Good — Peaches

On Saturday, my husband and I drove the 45 minutes to Schnepf Farms and braved 97 degree temperatures picking two boxes of peaches. We got to the farm and bypassed the free hayride to the orchard, opting to walk. After that 15 minute walk, and about 30 minutes of peach picking, we were all about the hayride on the way back.

We gave one box of peaches away…and with the other box:
We broiled a peach with brandy and ate it with ice cream.
My husband made 2 cobblers last night (see above).
Today, I had peaches and vanilla soy milk for breakfast.
More cobbler for lunch…

And still, we have about a quarter box left.

Any ideas?

Frito festivities

What’s Cracking Good — Frito pie!

A couple of weeks ago, my friend from Texas had a birthday.

He’s not even a native Texan, but he still gets excited when anything heralds from his  “homeland.”

So when planning his birthday:  I decided his party should include Frito Pie, a heartburn-inducing combination of Fritos Corn Chips, chili and a variety of toppers that I’ve heard is a staple in Texas (and other southern) lunch rooms.

If you’ve never had a Frito Pie, here’s the jist:

For the party, I purchased 64 packages of Fritos from Amazon.com, which is enough for at least 2 parties, and a lot of late-snacks.

Here’s the set-up:
- Chili
- Fritos
- Sour cream
- Cheese
- Onions
- Cheese
- Velveeta cheese topping (optional)
- Scissors
- Bowls (optional)
- Beers
- Tums