Lisa Jackson Tell Me Summer Secrets House Party

I applied for and was chosen for another House Party!  This one was promoting Lisa Jackson's new romantic suspense crime drama, Tell Me.  My book club, The Literary Mamas came over and we had a potluck dinner and enjoyed talking about our book club selection and enjoying the party pack sent by House Party.  It included an advance copy of Tell Me, which I read before the party, and it was fabulous.  They also sent sample copies of Tell Me for my guests, a paperback copy of one of her other books, You Don't Want to Know, 2 reusable carry-all bags, cups, napkins, a notepad, chips, and salsa.  All of this came at no cost to me.  The Literary Mamas always have a wonderful time together and all of the House Party goodies made it even better.  Thanks again House Party!

Back to the 80's Birthday Party

Addie turned 11 years old last week. Sniff, sniff. We decided to have an 80's theme party. The funny thing is, when I was 11, it WAS 1985! She asked everyone to wear neon and we started off the evening at home with tacos and rice for dinner and cupcakes for dessert. I really didn't know what to do with myself this year. No baking required! She wanted cupcakes from the boutique cupcake shop in town. After dinner we took the girls to a new/old place in town called Arkadia Retrocade. For 5 bucks, you can play all the retro arcade games you want. After the girls got their fill of pac-man, centipede, and frogger, we headed home. I had 80's style candies for them to munch on while they watched a movie and we took some fun pictures with photo props I found on Etsy here. I had as much or more fun doing this as they did. I think the party turned out totally tubular dude! Here are some of the highlights.

Candy: Walmart, Party City, EZ Mart
Glasses and Gloves: Party City
Asteroid Drink Markers and Party Plates: Target
Skates: Mine, from my Mom's closet
Photo Props: Here on Etsy.  I sent them to Office Depot to print for around $5.

Pancakes and Pajama Birthday Party

Saturday Caroline celebrated her birthday with her friends by having a Pancakes and Pajamas Birthday Party.  I wanted to write more about it, but it's been a busy week, so this will mainly be pictures.

I found these invitations on Etsy.  I thought the little girl looked like Caroline.

Goodie Cereal Bowls.  The bowls have built in straws.

I made these cupcakes from the Hello Cupcake book.  The Ghost book is my favorite.

The table pre-party.

More Goodie Bowls.

Waiting for breakfast.

Birthday Girl

Decorating "Number 6" pancakes made by Daddy.

Happy party guest

Decorating pillowcases

Making Cereal Necklaces

Daddy giving safety instructions.

First swing.

Mulled Dr. Pepper and Weekend Events

 

 

I was browsing through a Taste of Home Halloween magazine and came across a recipe for Mulled Dr. Pepper.  I love Dr. Pepper and I really wanted to try it.  I got the opportunity this weekend when a friend invited us to her Halloween party.  I had never heard of drinking Dr. Pepper hot, but apparently, it's been happening for years.  While reading some reviews of the recipe, I noticed several reviewers talking about having it when they were younger when they had a cold.  Then, at the party, one of the guests told about how her Dad would bring home Dr. Pepper as a treat and heat it up on the stove.  I thought it was a warm and comforting drink, similar to cider in the spices.  Just don't expect to get the Dr. Pepper burn.  It goes away on heating.

Mulled Dr. Pepper

8 cups Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 cinnamon sticks

Combine all ingredients in a 3 qt slow cooker and cook on low for 2 hours.  Discard cloves before serving.  I used one of my tea strainers to hold the cloves so I didn't have to fish them out.

I also took these caramel apples to the party.  Find the recipe here over at Our Everyday Dinners.  The homemade caramel was so worth the effort!

Here's our costume.  I'm glad I have a cooperative husband.  We usually do a couples theme costume.

The rest of our weekend was filled with activity as well.  We had Caroline's school carnival.  Addie didn't go this year.  Since she is in Middle School now, she thinks she's too old for such things. :(

Sunday afternoon, the Girl Scouts presented the flag at a Mashburn Foundation concert.  I met Mrs. Mashburn in the waiting area of the Toyota Service Department while we were both having our oil changed.  We chatted about different subjects, including Girl Scouts, and she offered us this opportunity of presenting the flag and the girls got to attend the concert for free.  The music was great!  It was a tribute to soul and the girls knew a lot of the songs.  They were singing, clapping, and dancing along.  Check out the Mashburn singers.  They do a couple of concerts a year to raise money for scholarships.

Mike and the girls finished out the weekend by carving a couple of our pumpkins.

Pumpkin Cookies and Keurig House Party

I made these yummy cookies for my Keurig Vue House Party!  Have you heard of Houseparty.com?  I learned about it through some friends in my playgroup.  I went to a couple of parties they were chosen for, and then signed up for myself.  There's no selling of anything involved.  It's just a way for companies to advertise new products.  They usually have several parties available at any given time. I've been to or hosted parties for Digiorno Pizza, Johnsonville Sausage, Silk, Nicholas Sparks books, Philadelphia Cooking Cream, and Pullups.  You choose which ones you are interested in, fill out a short application, then wait and hope you are chosen. If so, they send you a party pack of products and/or coupons to use at your party.  I was so excited to be chosen for this one because Keurig sent me this Keurig Vue machine to use at my party and keep!

Houseparty also sent ALL of this coffee (except the decaf, I bought that) to serve at my party plus an apron, two tumbler cups (I gave away as door prizes!), mints, cookies, and 50% off Keurig Vue coupons to give my guests.  I still have some coupons, so let me know if you want one!

I decided to combine my house party with my Literary Mamas Book Club.  We usually meet at Hastings and have coffee anyway, so this time we met at my house and enjoyed this fun coffee machine.  I love it!  It heats up fast and we were able to make cup after cup in no time.  It has a touchscreen where you can choose the size you want, and if you'd like to make your coffee stronger. You can also make Cappuccinos, Lattes, Herbal Teas, Iced Teas, Iced Coffee, and Hot Chocolate. To go along with the coffee, I made the Pumpkin Cookies pictured above.  Ann from my home church in Oklahoma brought these to a church function years ago and I've been making them ever since.  

Pumpkin Cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin

Icing
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Powdered sugar

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.  Cream sugar and Crisco.  Add egg and mix well.  Add dry ingredients.  Mix in vanilla and pumpkin.  Drop by large tablespoons on cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.  For icing, boil brown sugar, butter, and milk.  Add powdered sugar until thick enough to spread.  Add vanilla.  You may have to thin with milk as you ice.  This made about 30 cookies.