Pitter, Patter, Pat-a-Cake Baby Shower Theme Ideas

Planning a baby shower takes time, effort and money. However, having a theme makes everything easier and more fun! The Pitter Patter theme is a great idea if you are into handprint and footprint keepsakes!

Invitations

You can make your own handprint footprint invitation by simply searching online and finding a free stock image to use and then simply printing it on good quality paper. You can choose pink or blue ink if you know the gender of the baby or yellow if the gender is a surprise!

Decorations

You can purchase a footprint stamp at any craft store and a simple plain white tablecloth and then just stamp the white table cloth the the footprint stamp. You can customize your table cloth as well with other phrases or words of encouragement for the new mom as well.

Another great idea is to create a bouquet of baby booties for the new mom and make it look like rose centerpiece for each of your tables.

Baby Shower Favors

As a favor, you can purchase little soaps that are made to look like baby’s footprint or handprint to hand out as favors for your baby shower guests. This also a useful item that is sure to be favorite among your guests.

Baby Gifts for the Mom to Be

And since your theme is pitter patter, you can also suggest to your guests to bring gifts that match the theme. There are so many different items that are perfect:  Handprint Footprint Frames where you can create a mold of your baby hand  or foot and treature it forever. Or a handprint footprint keepsake box that will allow the mom-to-be to take an ink impression of the new baby! Any of these items are sure to be a hit as those tiny footprints are always great to remember later on in life. You can also create your own baby gift baskets to match your handprint footprint theme. Simply purchase frames, onesies, a bottle and some teddy bears, decorate your basket and it’s surely to bea hit!

Food

Another way to add on to your theme is to make cookies that look like little feet or hands! Simply purchase a cookie mold and you can bake the rest.

These are few great ideas to get you started on your way to planning a great baby shower for your friends or relatives. They are sure to enjoy and appreciate the gifts and all your hard work!

Baby Clapping Can be Music to your Ears and the Best Baby Gift of All

Ever since I gave birth to my child, I almost can’t imagine my life without her in it. She is the best baby gift I could have gotten. She makes my days that much better and my joys that much greater. Before in my life, I had a great life where I went to work and earned my money and have a great relationship. Thinking back on my previous life I can’t imagine it without her. At first there was a lot to get used to because she played dirty guerilla warfare tactics and sleep deprivation but now sleepless nights seem like a walk in the park.

Recently, more specifically this weekend my daughter decided all on her own that she would take the next step and start clapping. We were all sitting down watching a rather crazy movie and as she was sitting on her father’s knees watching the movie it came to an end. The next part is rather amazing because I don’t understand how it happens but she just started clapping for no reason and without anyone showing her how. It’s weird because as we realized she was doing something she hasn’t done before, she just kept on going. After she started clapping we decided to encourage her by rolling a ball at her and letting her play with it. Every time she would catch the ball we would start to clap for her showing her that she did something good. After that she would start clapping on her own with us. It was so amazing. It’s like receiving a baby shower favors that just touches your heart and makes you remember the day forever.

Just thinking about it for a second is really interesting. Clapping isn’t something that’s too difficult to do. All it really is is slapping your hands together to make a sort of noise. So why is it so amazing to see a 8 month old baby do it. Well for starters when its your first child and she does something so amazing that you didn’t think she could do it is simple for lack of a better word amazing. You don’t really think a child that young can just start to do something out of nowhere for no apparent reason. Its just such an amazing thing to watch and it makes it all that much better when she is your own daughter.

All those nights that I had to get up and try to figure out why she was crying and what was wrong become more and more worth it as she does new things every day. I can’t believe it but soon she will be all over the place. First this week she finally crawled and now at the end of the same week she is clapping. Both things require a lot of coordination. My little baby is growing up so fast.

This author lives in Flemington, NJ with her husband and 5 month old daughter and is an expert contributing author for a luxury wedding favors boutique offering variety of beach wedding favors, destination wedding favors. This author and WeddingFavorStation.com is also dedicated to providing valuable and informative articles on wedding planning, wedding party ideas, wedding dresses styles and wedding etiquette.

Dog Beds for Big Dogs

You have a great big dog! He runs around all day and at the end of the day he loves to crash on your bed. If this has happened to you then I think it is time you invested in a roomy cushioned dog beds. Your dog resting on his back on your bed is a tell tale sign that he loves a lot of room and loves a soft space to rest on.

Before you go rushing out to the store to buy your pal his very own bed there are some preparations that need to be done before its all said and done. First things first you need to measure your pet to make sure you don’t buy something too big or too small. To measure, first measure from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail and then from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. This will give you a runabout measurement to work with. If you plan on getting something that has cushions or padding then it is my suggestion that you add about 12 inches to this measurement to make sure your pet has enough space.

Next you need to do a little detective work and see where your pet sleeps the most and in what position. If your pet likes to sleep snugly then you might want to invest in a donut shaped bed. If he likes to spread out and sleep with a lot of room then a circular or squared shaped bed is right for him. When choosing your large dog beds, make sure you get something appropriate to his age and needs as well. If your dog has joint pains then it would be a good idea to get an orthopedic dog beds that isn’t too close to the floor so that he doesn’t have to bend too much to lie down. It is also especially difficult to pick himself up when getting out of bed. This is why if you have a dog with joint pains you should get him a bed that is higher off the ground.

Lastly when you have gone out and bought your bed you need to make sure you put it in the most appropriate spot. The answer here should have been discovered when you did your detective work on where you pet sleeps. By knowing where he sleeps and placing the bed at that specific location you increase your chances of your pet actually sleeping in the pet beds. This is especially true if you have an older dog that isn’t trained to sleep in the actual bed and has slept everywhere else.

A dog bed is an excellent investment not only for you but especially for the health and happiness of your pet.

How to Wrap your Baby Shower Gifts

Are you going to a baby shower? Gifts for babies are always so cute. Here are some ideas to create gift wrapping that is just as adorable as the baby gifts you are giving.

If you know the baby is expected to be a boy or a girl, sometimes it is a good idea to wrap a gift in a nice blue or beautiful pink but don’t become complacent with your colors. There are many other colors you can choice from. Here are some other options to get your creative juices flowing.

Are you going to a baby shower where you know the mother isn’t sure of the gender of the baby? Wrap the baby gift in white paper and tie the gift with two ribbons instead of one. For this idea you can use a pink ribbon and a blue ribbon. Tie the blue and pink ribbons together and tape to the back of the package. Then have the ribbon form a bow on the front of the package from the two colors of ribbon.

Want to add a cute topping to any baby shower favors packaging? There are many things you can add such as a rattle, teething ring, baby mittens, hair bow, small picture frame, or a small stuffed animal. All of these items can be fastened with the ribbon you tie the gift with and these items can also be used by the baby.

If you like anything teddy bear such as teddy bear baby gift baskets, do a teddy bear gift wrap! Use gift wrap paper that has teddy bears on it, or a soft cocoa colored gift wrap paper. But a small teddy bear on the top of your package and tie with a brown or a white bow. You can often find teddy bear rattles or teething rings that have teddy bears on them. You can also take this idea and apply it to any sort of animal. For example, wrap with a duck theme. Use yellow paper or paper with ducks on it and tie with a large orange ribbon. Top your gift with a traditional yellow rubber duck.

For a pretty look for a spring baby shower consider a very floral look. Wrap a gift with floral or plain but colored paper. Use a green or purple ribbon and tie it in a bow. Top the package with some fresh spring flowers. Cut the stems of the flowers very short. Add the flowers the morning of the baby shower for best presentation.

Does the baby have an older sibling? Consider giving a small sibling gifts for the new brother or sister. A new baby is often a hectic time and seeing their new brother or sister get so many gifts can sometimes be overwhelming, and leave many children feeling a little forgotten. Consider getting an older sibling a storybook or a stuffed animal as a special big brother/big sister gift.

Your Dog’s Breed Speaks Volume about your Dog’s Personality

Today there are more than four hundred recognized dog breeds, each with a distinctive set of characteristics as well as thousands of mixed breeds dogs each a true original and they all fit into our lives in so many different ways.

The history of each dog breed is not only interesting but it can also describe the forces that shaped and molded the breed into existence. Knowing the original breeds that may have contributed to the current breed can help you understand the traits that new breed displays. A dog that has been bred to hunt  at long range will have a lot energy and tent to run at a great distance from its owner. even if the owner has no interest in hunting. A breed developed to dig out vermin will dig every change it gets.

A breed’s background and history also influences its temperament. The same factors that shaped the different physical attributes have shaped the behavior and temperament. In fact, the behavior of the dog was the initial trait that caused it to become a breed in the first place. A dog may be built to do a job but unless it wants to do the job, it is worthless to the working dog breeder.

Every breed of dog should learn basic obedience and training. It is absolutely essential in large, strong, domineering dogs. It is also with dogs that are shy or independent.

In all cases, obedience training can have a good effect if it is done properly.

This author lives in Flemington, NJ with her husband and 5 month old daughter and is an expert contributing author for a luxury elevated dog feeders boutique offering variety of dog beds and orthopedic dog beds. This author and DogBedSupplies are also dedicated to providing valuable and informative articles on pet health, dog training, crate training, puppy breeds and more.

Do All Dogs Go to Heaven?

As a pet lover all I have to say is if my dog’s are not creating me at the Pearly Gates I am going to be totally pissed. I saw this poll conducted by ABCNews in 2001 as many as 40 percent of people think heaven is reserved only for people. WTF?! How can dogs NOT go to heaven. Hello…dog spelled backwards is God. Doesn’t anyone pay attention to the hidden messages!?

 However, theologians seem to disagree. In September 2003, the editors of Dog Fancy magazine put the question to various religious leaders and experts in what it termed an extension of the debate over “animal theology”. Here are some of their thoughts on the topic:

1. “Heaven was designed for humans. The reason dogs may be there is for us, not for themselves. Dogs will go to heaven perhaps because of our relationship with them. I would think a loving God wants us to be happy and allows us to have animals that shared love with us.”  — Rev. Brian T. McSweeney, vice chancellor of the New York archdiocese.

2.  “Dogs are subject to reincarnation … as well as the law of the karma, which determines the form of the reincarnation. Dogs can go to heaven or dogs can go to hell. A dog’s actions decide where it goes, like a human’s actions.” — Lama Pema Wangak, directory of New York’s Tibetan Buddhist Center

3.  “The vast majority of Southern Baptist believe only human have souls, which most likely preclude dogs from reaching heaven. But the Bible notes that someday the lamb will lie down with the lion, which would lead you to believe that heaven may be somewhat like it is here, and there may be animals.” — Herb Hollinger, a spokesperson for the Southern Baptist Convention.

4. “Everything, humans and animals, every blade of grass, all are endowed with a spirit and every spirit returns to its creator….Every animal based on how it lives in this world will reap its reward, its divine bliss in the world to come.”  — Rabbi Gershon Winkier, an exponent of mystical Judaism who lives in Cuba.

5.  “I think the species as a whole is a natural shoo-in.”  — Stephen H. Webb, associate professor of religion and philosophy at Wabash College and the author of On God and Dogs.

I miss my Bruno, and Sunnie, and have quite a few dogs in my life now, that while when they pee on my carpet I threaten to kill them, would be miserable without.  The bigger question beyond if dogs go to heaven is  – if heaven is supposed to be an ideal world, how can it be so without pets? I am pretty sure they will have their dog beds and elevated raised feeders or even their orthopedic dog beds waiting for them at the gates of heaven. And if that is not going to be the case, I will protest with them outside.

Bring in the Bird: Stork Baby Shower

I am telling you all right now,  if I make it to 30 weeks  I will be so thrilled I will be  throwing myself my own baby shower!!

So I have been looking at baby shower themes (you know so I can mercilessly drop hints  to family and friends) Listen, I don’t CARE if this is my 9th kid…I am having a damn shower if my ass is big enough to waddle into one at 30+ weeks.  If I make it, this will be the first time I have ever gone to term so it will be really exciting.

I am thinking I like the idea of a stork. I know it is a little cheesy but I think if it is done really simply, that it could be very classic and Hollywood chic. I have a LOT to do for this party for myself . From the baby shower favors to the decorations to the menu and baby gifts themes and baby gift baskets, I have so much to think about and plan. Cause you know my Type A personality could not stand it if I have a shower and it is anything less than so perfect.

So here is a unique idea on how to create a stork baby shower cake I found :

The ingredients you will need:

Two 9-inch round cakes and one 13by9 ich cake, cooled.  Prepare the cakes from packaged mixes.
Three 16 ounce cans white forsting.
Yellow and red food coloring
1 Large marshmallow
1 Blue M&M
Fabric baby sling

Carefully remove the cakes from the pans. Wrap each cake in plastic wrap and freeze the cakes for 1 hour to  make for easier cutting and fewer crumbs. Remove the plastic wrap from the cakes. Cut the cakes in two circles, and other shapes to create the body parts of the stork. and place the pieces on a cake board that measures at least 32 by 22 inches. Mix yellow and red food coloring into 2 cups of frosting and use the orange frosting to color the stork’s beak, legs and feet. Decorate the rest of the stork’s body with white frosting. To make the eye, cut the marshmallow in half and nestle the M&M into the top of one half. Set the eye in place on the stork’s head. Complete the cake by positioning a fabric baby sling from the stork’s beak.

This recipe makes 24 servings.

Now of course I will need to multiply it by 4 because…hello?!…this baby is the most important one in the world and at LEAST 100 people will come to my shower.  But seriously  let’s pretend for one minute 1. I can bake, 2. I would actually bake something instead of getting it catered, and 3. Ultimately select a stork theme – pretty cute right!?

Tags: Stork+Baby+Shower+Theme+Cake+Idea, baby+shower+favors, baby+gifts, baby+gift+baskets

Make Your Home More Eco Friendly

It can be hard knowing exactly how to make your home more environmentally friendly. We all know about energy saving light bulbs and recycling as well as reducing our electricity use and buying more energy efficient white goods. However, there is a lot more that we can do.

Modern Eco Homes is a website which can help you in finding new ways to be more environmentally friendly. They sell a range of environmentally friendly products for use inside and outside the home. These are items that you may not know can damage the environment such as eco friendly furniture and they have more environmentally friendly alternatives which are either party or fully recycled or manufactured using more eco friendly techniques. They also have solar powered items and ones that do not use chemicals.

They have a large range of different types of items available to purchase online. Their range of eco friendly prefab homes includes a sun shed / greenhouse and a garden cabana. You can find details of a custom cabin and they even have details of a trailer. The idea of these is not only can they be made with recycled or renewable materials but they encourage a more simplified way of living which can more easily be made environmentally friendly. Their outdoor range includes chairs, stools and tables as well as table and chairs sets ideal for patio use. Most of these are made from sustainable woods. Their indoor range is much more extensive and includes tables, chairs, sofas, beds, rugs, bedding, bowls, lamps and fans. The rugs are chemical free and some other items are made from renewable resources. The eco friendly pet beds include organic and environmentally friendly wood designs. Their range of solar powered products includes outdoor lights and solar panels.

So if you want to turn your house into a modern eco friendly home then take a look at their website and find out what you can do and what furnishings are available to help you. Choose from organic, sustainable, recycled and chemical free items to help to reduce your impact on the environment.

Pharmaceutical companies and prescription drugs online.

Being a health freak, I have a habit of checking almost all the medication prescribed to me and my kids before we pop those drugs. I normally surf the internet to check on the ingredients of the drugs, which company manufactured the drugs and what side effects they will cause. I also have a book as thick as the Yellow Pages on all the Vitamins and Minerals. I love poring books like this. I really don’t like the idea of popping drugs and supplements not knowing what they are made of and what side effects they will cause. If you are just as cautious as I am with drugs and supplements, you will be glad to know that you can now get information on a comprehensive list of over 75,000 approved drugs and health products from Drugs-about.com. These include generic drugs Acido Salicilico, prescription drugs, nutritional supplements, veterinary products, pet meds, cosmetics Acne aid soap, drugs active ingredients, pharmaceutical companies, medical catalogs and much more. Drugs-about.com provide full prescription information about drugs registered in the USA, Canada, EU, Japan and other countries for consumers and healthcare professionals. You can search by drug for example Acino, by pharmaceutical active ingredient like “tizanidine”, by medical condition, by pharmaceutical company as “Novartis Pharmaceuticals” or via site search tools and get the answer you need right away for free. The next time your kids’ pediatrician prescribes your kids with some medication, do find out what you are actually feeding your kids at drugs-about.com. At least you know what goes into your kids’ body and what side effects you may be expecting.

Jackpot for Losers (like me)

Oh my God I found the funniest thing – as discussed I love online poker but I kind of suck at it. Honestly, I like to play but I am really not good. So of course the other night I googled something funny like “Poker for Losers” or something like that to find out some placing tips and I found this prize for people that suck.

Listen to this:

The first UltimateBadBeat jackpot hit on Wednesday night to the tune of $112,885.50! Over 340 players got a piece of the cash pie with massive congratulations going to Peter Gunzzz who made UltimateBet history by hitting the first Bad Beat Jackpot and taking away a massive $36678.03!

We’re turning the poker world completely upside down and on its head!

UltimateBet has set out to accomplish the impossible – we’re going to give some of our unluckiest players a bad beat story that EVERYONE will want to hear. Players who sit down at our Bad Beat Jackpot tables can win big when they lose large.

What, exactly, is a bad beat?

When the worst hand comes from behind to beat a better one, is that a bad beat? No! A bad beat is when the worst hand comes from behind to beat YOUR better hand. Bad beats are personal – it feels like there’s some vast conspiracy against you. And when you corner some poor soul to tell them the sordid details, no one ever wants to hear your bad beat stories! Not even the one where you raised with Aces and this IDIOT called with Jack-Four suited.

Your loss is your gain!

If you lose with quad Eights or better you’ll take home a hefty cut of the Bad Beat Jackpot that grows by leaps and bounds with every hand that’s dealt at our Bad Beat tables. We collect $.50 from every raked pot at our Bad Beat tables to build up the Jackpot until some desperately unlucky soul gets coolered by a cold deck…and wins a bundle!

Get in the loser’s circle and win!

Since we don’t want anyone at the winning table telling bad beat stories, we’ll share the wealth like no one else in online poker.

When the jackpot is hit, 25% will remain in the jackpot to seed the new jackpot. 10% goes to the house, and the rest of the cash goes to the players. The player suffering the bad beat gets half, the lucky duck who won the hand gets a quarter, the other players dealt in the hand get $1,000 each and the remaining 25% (and this is where it gets interesting) is divided amongst ALL bad beat players at that limit and game type. It is the Ultimate Bad Beat Jackpot and it is only at UB. Everybody wins especially the loser!

Our Bad Beat Jackpot tables open up on Monday, September 24th. Take a seat and wait for your horrible, horrible luck to make you rich!

OMG GIRLS I AM THE BIGGEST LOSER AT POKER! NO ONE is unlucky as I am. I am totally going to win, I mean lose, I mean win…well…you know what I mean

« Previous Page — Next Page »