IT'S A CELEBRATION BABY!!
BABY SHOWER, GENDER REVEAL, DIAPER, BIRTHDAY, BAPTISMS EVENTS, HOLIDAYS, AND MORE!
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Thanksgiving is all about thanking the creator for your blessings. In our home this year it means giving back. I can not tell a lie, these children we are raising in my home are SPOILED. They must understand the life they are living is privileged. It's important to teach them servitude, humility, and hard work. They should know that there are children in this world that don't know where their next meal is coming from and appreciate their blessings. To be thankful for the clothes on their backs, food in their bellies, and a solid roof over their head. Coming home to a warm house filled with iPads and gaming systems is a luxury. We brought our children to help hand out turkeys and sides for their father's annual Giving With Gaines Turkey Give Away event in KC Missouri.
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Holiday Season TipsAs a family of five, I try to focus on ways to cut cost, save space, and pure functionality. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE shopping, but I’m not proud of the amount of Amazon boxes I break down every Thursday on garbage day. With gift-giving season here, it is hard to avoid spending money but what if I told you, you could shop smarter, help others, and create less waste just by changing three small habits this holiday season?
Giving back is something that our family has always been passionate about. I look at how fortunate we are and wonder how can these behaviors be passed on to our children. I want to nurture their generosity and know the positive cycle of both caring additions to sharing. I want them to appreciate their privilege and understand that there are kids who don’t have iPads, Phones, or video games. |
- Every holiday we spend money on toys our children will only play with once and leave around the house for us to pick up. Perfectly good toys that someone else will appreciate. This Christmas we had our kids select toys that they would like to donate. For every toy they give away, they get a new one from Santa. This practice we hope will instill goodwill and help other parents afford Christmas.
- We wanted to make sure our children received gifts they actually wanted. I sat down with each of my children and we wrote a letter to Santa. In the letter, we not only asked Santa for things but talked about what we were thankful for and why they thought they deserved the items they were asking for. I want my children to know they must earn their gifts through positive actions. I want our children to understand that good behavior is rewarded.
- Something new and environmentally friendly I’m doing this holiday season is NOT cleaning up a mountain of wrapping paper that took me hours to perfectly crease, tape, and wrap. I purchased reusable Christmas Sacks that will hold most of their gifts. I won’t have to worry about excessive trash, weirdly shaped gifts to wrap, or buying wrapping paper next year.
Click below to visit websites or purchase these products!
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Let me know if any of these ideas have helped you get through this holiday season!
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Halloween Quarantine TipsThe COVID pandemic has altered the way we do things, especially celebrate. On my task to determine how to create some normalcy this Halloween I came up with some cool ways to observe the holiday. I wanted to share my activities in case you find yourself struggling with ideas.
Halloween combines some of my children’s favorite past times, dressing up, getting candy, and eating said candy. When I was small, I looked forward to finding the perfect costume. I also looked forward to all things pumpkins. I made things as convenient as possible. Just click on the tabs to expand content. Click on the products to add to your amazon cart! |
Tip 1: Outdoor Sprit
Hanging up decorations can be time-consuming! I spent hours on décor but now that I have limited time, I need all the hacks possible. Making sure the outside and inside of your home reflects holiday spirit can be made simple.
- I found outdoor color-changing LED light strips and bulbs. The awesome thing about these items is that at a click of a button you can quickly change the feel of your home. I presently have mines on orange, on Veterans Day they will be red, white, and blue, and for Christmas Red and Green. EASY PEEZY.
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- Another quick and easy way to share holiday cheer is by throwing up a holiday wreath and doormat. These actions are inexpensive and make an impact. We have doormats and wreaths for most holidays.
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- Since I craft, I enjoy taking some time to create wreaths with my children. Making wreaths are a fun way to spend quality time with your kids. You can give the wreaths from previous years to Grandparents as a keepsake. This is a great activity to add to your holiday repertoire.
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Tip 2: Indoor Feels
It’s the decorating for me… If you haven’t discovered, I love my crafts. Anytime I can create something I know my kids will appreciate, I’m on it. Here are some simple and safe ways you can celebrate Halloween with your special ones.
- Since going from house to house is not an option if you want to practice safe social distancing, I know I needed to bring Halloween to my babies. I wanted to create a semi scary Halloween area that wouldn’t haunt my children’s nightmares. I made a simple cemetery filled with tombstone heads and cobwebs. Ghost accents and festive lighting brought my haunted house to life.
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- Trick or treat is all about working for your reward so I drew up inspiration from Easter and thought how cool would it be to have a candy hunt. I call it a Haunted House hide and seek style. Instead of Easter Eggs, I found Mini Pumpkin Containers on Amazon and filled them with candy to be distributed throughout the house. You could always use orange Easter Egg but I wanted a more Halloween flare.
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- During Halloween season we Pumpkin Carve. Letting our children pick out their pumpkins has always been a fun task! The mess we make while carving seems to be even more fun for them. Every year we make Jack-o-Lanterns and these tools help make it easy!
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- Cookie Decoration is something that we always do for Christmas but this season I am learning to combine traditions. You can make sugar cookies and decorate them in your favorite Halloween Colors. If you’re fancy you can get cookie cutters shaped in common Halloween staples.
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Tip 3: Costume
This year my daughter decided to be Barb from Trolls and not the popular Princess Poppy. I was having a hard time finding a costume her size so you know I made one. This is the same issue that happened last year when Tre wanted to be Puss in Boots. I received so many compliments on his costume I decided to help parents out with some easy tips.
- Long Johns can help convert any child’s skin into their desired color. Do they want to be an orange cat? Orange Long Johns. Maybe your little one wants to be Sonic the Hedgehog, blue Long Johns. Long Johns can keep kids stay warm and can also be used as pajamas. I love multi-purpose items!
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- A simple YouTube makeup tutorial will help transform your kids’ appearance into the character they desire. Step by step instructions can help create a look but also allow you to spend quality time. Don’t get down on yourself if it doesn’t turn out perfect because your little one won’t notice. Well, they won’t notice until they look back on those pictures grandma and grandpa took during their Costume Drive-By.
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Trying to figure out how to throw the perfect baby shower or birthday party but don’t know where to start? This page should help jump-start your creativity with ideas and some guided direction to create a memorable event. Her designs can be seen on Love & Hip Hop, in US Weekly, and even CEO Moms so we enlisted industry professional, Courtney Ajinça the Owner and Principal Designer for Charlotte, NC based design firm Courtney Ajinca Wedding & Events and Glitz & Glam Social Events to help with her best tips!
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COURTNEY'S EVENT TIPS!
Plan, Plan, and Plan Some More!
Don't know where to start? This is all you need to know about planning an amazing event! While organizing anything from backyard family gatherings to over-the-top glamorous affairs, proper planning is essential. Document everything down to the smallest details, and carefully follow through. Having all of your ideas written down (or typed) in one place, really helps you to stay organized and allows the plans to go off without a hitch. Why do the hard work, when you don't have to? Use brilliant resources designed by other moms to help you along the way. My favorite resource is the party in a box from Crated. They have taken the guess work out of planning so that you can focus on being a Trophy Mom to your Trophy Babe. |
Invite!
What’s a celebration without the people you love? You’ve worked hard to plan the perfect day; now it’s time to invite your favorite people to celebrate! Call me old-fashioned, but I still love sending and receiving physical invitations. Having a physical invite helps to engage your guests and boost the excitement surrounding your event.
Sites such as Tiny Prints and Zazzle have customizable templates that are quick and easy to create. Shipping is generally fast and the price is comparable to other sites on the web. In addition to sending the invites to your guests, you can place them at each setting for an added touch of class! If you're short on time or simply want to use your budget for your fabulous event; e-invitations work just as well. Just be sure to acquire email addresses from your guests in advance. We’re all busy moms and our Trophy Baby’s schedules fill up very fast, so be sure to invite your guests at least one month in advance for the best possible turnout! |
Hire a Photographer
Finally! The big day is here and your baby is having the time of their lives. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out on those precious moments while attempting to capture them yourself. Hire a trusted photographer who will properly document the day, while you make precious moments that will last forever. If hiring a photographer is not in the budget, ask a friend or family member to take great pictures for you.
You’ll always have the memories in your heart, but it helps to have photos (with you in them) to look back on for years to come. |
If you’ve followed these steps and planning just isn't for you, hire an event planner and enjoy the moments saved, snuggling with your Trophy Babe!
MOTHERS DAY
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So it is Mother’s Day, and you are confused as to how to express your gratitude for the woman who has held down the fort, comforted you while you were sick, and does your endless amounts of laundry. Mother’s Day became an official US holiday in 1914 set up to hail and show admiration for matriarchs. Do you need some help on how to celebrate this wonderful occasion? Have no fear MomLifeManual.com has some great ideas on how to treat your lady right!
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Mothers can fall under three level categories:
High Maintenance
Think blue boxes from Tiffany’s, European shoe sizes, and no stranger to 4 figure handbags. High Maintenance mothers are the type of Mother that requires and expects the finer things in life. She wants you to express your gratefulness through public and pricey displays of affection. She’s mom, but never late for drinks with the girls or night out on the town.
Suggestion: You can place a smile on her face by surprising her with an escape to a secluded location. Spa treatments, roses from Venus et Fleur , and jewelry of course. Handbags and designer wallets are also great gifts but remember, NO MICHAEL KORS or COACH.
Suggestion: You can place a smile on her face by surprising her with an escape to a secluded location. Spa treatments, roses from Venus et Fleur , and jewelry of course. Handbags and designer wallets are also great gifts but remember, NO MICHAEL KORS or COACH.
Moderate Maintenance
This mother loves thoughtful and gifts with effort. She wants to be impressed but understands budgeting. She loves her position as a mom but hasn’t completely gone to the traditional roles of motherhood. A great mix between both High Maintenance and Low Maintenance mothers.
Suggestion: FLOWERS. It doesn’t matter if the arrangement is from Pro Flowers or the grocery store. Be sure to include a card or a handwritten note. This mother loves the details.
Fact, most women love to smell amazing. Fact, most individuals, don’t pick out the most alluring scents for their significant other. Resolution: Try a perfume subscription to Scentbird!
Last but not least you can’t go wrong with a gift card to someplace like Bath and Body Works or Victoria Secret. Gift cards are a great way to give the perfect gift. Mom can pick out her favorites.
Suggestion: FLOWERS. It doesn’t matter if the arrangement is from Pro Flowers or the grocery store. Be sure to include a card or a handwritten note. This mother loves the details.
Fact, most women love to smell amazing. Fact, most individuals, don’t pick out the most alluring scents for their significant other. Resolution: Try a perfume subscription to Scentbird!
Last but not least you can’t go wrong with a gift card to someplace like Bath and Body Works or Victoria Secret. Gift cards are a great way to give the perfect gift. Mom can pick out her favorites.
Low Maintenance
Has she taken up scrap-booking? Does she celebrate half birthdays? Has she turned your home into a baby shrine? Maybe she’s turned into Martha Stuart as soon as you got home from the hospital, she is super sentimental and easy to please!
Suggestion: Once again you can’t go wrong with flowers or better yet a plant for her to continue to nurture! Personalized hand and foot printed items, framed pictures, and if you’re fancy, don’t forget the breakfast in bed. She loves being around her family so have the special woman in your life spend the day snuggled up in bed with the clan or lounging around the house. Draw her a bubble bath followed by a back and foot rub and some intimate time while the kids are in bed.
Suggestion: Once again you can’t go wrong with flowers or better yet a plant for her to continue to nurture! Personalized hand and foot printed items, framed pictures, and if you’re fancy, don’t forget the breakfast in bed. She loves being around her family so have the special woman in your life spend the day snuggled up in bed with the clan or lounging around the house. Draw her a bubble bath followed by a back and foot rub and some intimate time while the kids are in bed.
Unconventional gift: BOOKS!!! I love a good Book and so might your mother! Books can extend knowledge and provide an escape. I adore hardcover books, and when I put my little guy to bed, I take in a good story.
These are just my opinions and thoughts. If you have have some tips, feel free to comment!
Easter
The Catholic woman in me recognizes Easter as the holiday in which Jesus resurrected from the dead, now the little girl in me remembers getting dressed in my best and being presented with the most amazing Easter Basket ever! As an adult, I celebrated this holiday by going to church adorned in a nicer than usual outfit. As a parent I am being introduced to all of these new tasks I’m supposed to accomplish or else I’m failing at parenthood lol
Who is the Easter Bunny and why do I care? So the Easter Bunny is meant to be the Santa Clause of the Easter holiday. Easter Bunnies are supposed to determine if a child is naughty or nice. The tale is the Easter Bunny delivered colored Easter Eggs to good children, which leads me to ask did the bad ones get rotten eggs? I need to know my options because the rate my son is going, he may need to learn a lesson or two in the future.
Who is the Easter Bunny and why do I care? So the Easter Bunny is meant to be the Santa Clause of the Easter holiday. Easter Bunnies are supposed to determine if a child is naughty or nice. The tale is the Easter Bunny delivered colored Easter Eggs to good children, which leads me to ask did the bad ones get rotten eggs? I need to know my options because the rate my son is going, he may need to learn a lesson or two in the future.
Easter Outfits
I don’t know if it is the law, but I believe pastel colors are the way to go for an Easter Fit. If you don't go pastel, jazz it up with a bow tie and keep it fresh with a crisp white button down. I remember wearing my Easter Bonnets, so I replaced the idea of my bonnet with a cute Fedora for Tre. I also wanted to keep it classy, so I made sure that he will be dressed like a gentleman and avoided dress down clothing.
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Easter Basket
I wanted to include Easter staples like Peeps Marshmallows, Chocolate Bunny Rabbit, Pastel Eggs filled with candy, Bunny Ears, and an adorable Plush Bunny. I found some amazing stuffers at the Dollar Tree! Carrot shaped blowing bubbles, Giant Eggs that hold toys, puzzles, books, candy, and bouncing balls. I went above and beyond at the suggestion of a friend to present spring and summer toys to my child.
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Some additional items you may want to incorporate into your Easter traditions are an Easter Egg Hunt and a picture with the Easter Bunny. Check with your home church to see what activities they have available for your child. Most churches may include the mentioned but you can always go to your local mall if all else fails.
1st Birthday Party
So as most of you know that follow me on social media, my son recently turned one. As I planned events for years, they were always for adults, so I struggled to get all the details in order. As planning went on and the party manifested I realized so many things that I wish I would have known from the start.
. Location Location Location
Tre’s father recommended that we select a location outside of the home to have the party. He didn’t want traffic coming in or out of the house and felt that there would be more activities for the kids at another location. I looked into Chuck E Cheese for a generic party because let's be real I’ve seen all those YouTube videos of how live it gets in there. I’ve seriously been looking for a reason to turn up with those animated mascots. As I imagined myself Whipping and doing the Nae Nae next to a large mouse I thought that maybe something like that would take away from him. He can’t do the stinky leg, and he also can’t play with any of those activities they provide.
After researching a bit, a place like that just didn’t seem right. Turning one is a significant baby milestone. You start eating table food, for most babies, you start walking, and causing more trouble than your parents could ever imagine. Designing an event catered to Tre’s likes, his age (since it was a celebration for him), and with a crafty Mom, the final decision was that we (I according to his Dad lol) could pull off an amazing birthday party at home.
Theme
Selecting a theme made things so much easier as far as color schemes and novelties. Presently Tre has a slight obsession with Big Bird on Sesame Street and together with my obsession with Pinterest I began planning the best dag on Sesame Street party this side west of the Mississippi. Now understand this was a personal preference, I did what I felt was best for us, so there are disadvantages and the advantages to throwing a house party. Things will break, you will have to clean everything up, but you get to keep all of the food, you have appropriate range toys, and you can nap shortly after everyone goes home. With my love of both food and sleep, the ends justified the means.
Tre’s father recommended that we select a location outside of the home to have the party. He didn’t want traffic coming in or out of the house and felt that there would be more activities for the kids at another location. I looked into Chuck E Cheese for a generic party because let's be real I’ve seen all those YouTube videos of how live it gets in there. I’ve seriously been looking for a reason to turn up with those animated mascots. As I imagined myself Whipping and doing the Nae Nae next to a large mouse I thought that maybe something like that would take away from him. He can’t do the stinky leg, and he also can’t play with any of those activities they provide.
After researching a bit, a place like that just didn’t seem right. Turning one is a significant baby milestone. You start eating table food, for most babies, you start walking, and causing more trouble than your parents could ever imagine. Designing an event catered to Tre’s likes, his age (since it was a celebration for him), and with a crafty Mom, the final decision was that we (I according to his Dad lol) could pull off an amazing birthday party at home.
Theme
Selecting a theme made things so much easier as far as color schemes and novelties. Presently Tre has a slight obsession with Big Bird on Sesame Street and together with my obsession with Pinterest I began planning the best dag on Sesame Street party this side west of the Mississippi. Now understand this was a personal preference, I did what I felt was best for us, so there are disadvantages and the advantages to throwing a house party. Things will break, you will have to clean everything up, but you get to keep all of the food, you have appropriate range toys, and you can nap shortly after everyone goes home. With my love of both food and sleep, the ends justified the means.
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First Year Birthday Party 101 Rule 1: Adults vs. Babies
The most important thing I learned is that by a year of age your child has not developed the network to throw an insane party filled with same aged tykes. The party will be filled with a bunch of your friends and loved ones. This fact alone means that selecting a location like the Zoo, Disney World, and yes even Chuck E Cheese is not ideal to hold a congregation of adults. These places aren’t amazing until your little one gets older and steps up their friend game. |
First Year Birthday Party 101 Rule 2: No Recollection
Think the flashing memory eraser from Men in Black or that time you forgot how you made it home from Sunday Funday. Aside from some of the mentioned places being expensive to visit, let’s be honest, your child will not remember this event. Anything you do will most likely be for show. Extra money on bounce houses, the petting zoo, and the fair rides should probably be saved. |
First Year Birthday Party 101 Rule 3: Do it Yourself
Esty and sites like party city are the devils. They host overpriced items that can be easily recreated at a 1/10 of the price. I saw a Big Bird and Custom Street Sign foam cutout going for $90 a piece. I went to Home Depot, purchased the wood (more durable than foam board) at $5.00, several colors of paint from Walmart at $1.00 each, and saved myself $80.00. Not only was I able to save money but also since what was created is more durable, they are presently featured in Tre’s room. |
I‘m going to share a story about a conversation I had with Tre’s Dad that made me rethink my entire childhood. I'm only mentioning this because it isn't necessary to go all out. Like any excited first time parent, I recommend Disney Land for Tre’s first birthday. I was met with a smug and rather clever response he didn’t completely shut me down he said, “We can drive to Disney Land, pose for pictures outside of the sign, and make it back home in enough time to relax for the rest of the day.” The thought of extra sleep was so tempting and his validation of, “he’ll know what we tell him and what he sees” was spot on. It was a brilliant solution, but I am now looking at every photo, at every birthday party I have ever had to determine if my Father pulled a fast one over on me.
These are just a few things I learned about independently throwing Tre’s first Birthday Party. These are just my observations and opinions. Check out some images from the first celebration of Edwin 1st Birthday party.
There are more tips featured on this page that I adhered to, so check out those articles too!
To download the animated flyer with music click below!
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SnapChat Filter
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Custom Bubble Labels
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To download the animated flyer with music click below!
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SnapChat Filter
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Custom Labels
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It's a Photoshoot!Being able to capture those special moments as your child grows up is extremely important! We asked a professional photographer for some advice on how to produce awesome images that will be treasured!
Ryan Coke Photgraphy is responsible for taking all of those magical shots of my little guy. I was amazed by the images Ryan was able to capcture but even more amazed by the timeframe. He was like the Baby Whisper and our 4 look shoot was done in less than 2 hours. Needless to say I had questions, a lot of questions, and he didn't hesitate to answer them! I hope you enjoy these tips on how to plan, implement, and execute a babyshoot. Q&A with Professional Photographer Ryan Coke
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- What kind of advice would you offer a mother trying to shoot her child? Always have a spare set of hands because it is nearly impossible to stage and prep a shoot for an infant or toddler by yourself. Always have a noisy toy to keep their attention on the camera but be sure to hold the toy in the direction you want them to be looking. It makes the photos extra special when you incorporate some of your little one's favorite things as well.
- What’s the hardest thing about capturing a family and/or child? Adults are easy; you just show them what you want them to do or give them instructions. Kids are most times difficult because they don’t always do what you say so when dealing with children be sure you have a bunch of patience and a good size memory card because you will need a lot more shots to get that one good shot.
- What’s the best way to get a child to sit still during a session? I like to establish a good relationship with the child from the beginning because if he or she does not like you, then they won’t listen to you…lol, Some parents may promise things after the session to get the child to cooperate. I tend to try and give verbal recognition throughout the session things like "Great job Aden”, “wow those are some really nice shoes, I bet you can run really fast in those”, or “That was a great smile you just gave me great job, do you think you can do that again for me?”. Using these tactics 9 out of 10 will get me the shots I need.
- At what intervals do you suggest documenting your child’s growth? As a parent to a 16-month-old, I document him every chance I get…lol but I recommend professional images at birth, six months and one year then annually after that and also for each major holiday that you celebrate.
WHAT SHOULD BE IN MY REGISTRY?
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I had no clue what I actually needed as I went into the registry stage. I found myself picking a lot of useless items I would later regret and some I wish I should have taken into account. This list includes everything you'll need for your baby.
Click on the below link to view an itemized listing of what you will need. You can check off what you have and use the list as you create your registry. |
WHERE SHOULD I REGISTER?
With so many stores supplying merchandise for your bundle of joy it’s really hard to determine the best places to register. Have no fear for these are some of my personal favorites!
The above pictures are all great places for mother's to get exactly what their little ones will need. I recommend opening a few different accounts. You can use the below link to combine your registries. |
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