Baseball Baby Shower

Take me out to the ball park! Are you ready for an adorable baseball themed baby shower?

In late July, I had the honor of helping host a baby shower for my beautiful friend Emily & her first baby boy, David Carter.  Emily's sister should get the most credit for the cuteness in the shower theme though.  She planned all of the great decor and then a week before the shower, she had a big work conflict.  Knowing that Emily still deserved a great shower, I offered to help out now that her sister was unavailable.

So how do we throw a cute baseball themed baby shower?  First, her sister did a lot of online shopping and got some great deals, mostly from Oriental Trading.

It took about two hours to setup. I worked mostly with Emily's mom and 4 of her friends in the setup. They blew up balloons and helped set the tables with me.  I totally couldn't have done it without them!!!

I love the layers at the tables. From adorable mason jars with striped straws to colorful place settings.  We had 3 tables which we appropriatly named Base 1, Base 2, & Base 3. We then had balloons at a front tabled banned Home Plate!

 

At home base, I had guests put their presents down and then sign their name on baseball for the guest book!

To jump start some fun, I made little baseballs and had people write the new parents some advice or fun bucket list this to do. I named the 'Home Run Hit Tips'! Yes, I felt clever :)

Emily's sister planned and ordered all of the food from Sam's Club and it was ready to be picked up the morning of the shower.  I live 3 hours from where the shower was held, so Emily and her mom got the food and my awesome friend, Brittany, picked up the cake so I could focus on hauling around chairs, tables, & setting up decor.

Emily's sister also went all out and ordered a hot dog and popcorn machine, which were both super cute for the baseball theme!

GAMES:
For games, I did some online searches and asked a few friends and settled on the following.
Sensosketch (if you've ever played Crainium, you know what I'm talking about). I had each lady take a crayon and a blank piece of paper and draw anything baby themed with their eyes closed.  There were some really funny pictures!

Next, the ladies were each given a bundle of strings and scissors and had to cut their strings to the size they thought Emily's growing belly was.

After that, I had a juice box chugging contest.  I bought Honest juice, which is tasty and all natural!  Both a Emily and I are really healthy eaters and typically don't like anything processed or unnatural.  

The last game we did before presents was the baby story game.  I read a story loud, and whenever the words right or left were said, the guests pased a present around the circle in that direction.

Gifts:
Emily got some super cute gifts for David, and the shower was lovely!  The mommy-to-be seemed incredibly happy!  My gift was the one pictured below and featured a special necklace for Emily with David Carter's name and two baby feet!  You can get your own custom hand stamped one from me at my Etsy shop!

 

 

Emily, Thank you SO MUCH for letting me help host your lovely shower!!!

 

It was great to see these beautiful sorority sisters and to celebrate Emily, Chris & baby David as well!

Update since the shower, Emily had David Carter on September 5th and here's some sweet pictures of the little man!

 

 

Fall Is Here! Weekly Meal Time!

Happy Fall Ya'll!


Finally cool enough to wear boots, a scarf, and my fuzzy vest!

It's time I jumped back into the swing of things and really get back to meal planning on here!  I have still planned meals for Neal and myself, but I haven't been sharing them as I haven't been as active on the blog, being more active with the Etsy shop!

This week on the menu we have

• Salad topped with chicken, bacon (mmmm) goat cheese, veggies and balsalmic (quick meal!)
• Tilapia and broccoli (easy peasy meal)
• Chicken Casserole
• Steak with asparagus and sweet potato (Neal's meal!)
• Pumpkin & Carrot Soup from Tone It Up

For my chicken this week, I'm getting a natural rotisserie chicken from the grocery store to make my dinners simple and allow us to have some extra chicken leftovers for our lunches! 

The tilapia will be ones from our freezer, and same with the steak.  I buy in bulk when meats go on sale at the Fresh Market and I freeze the meat.  Typically, I buy about 10 lbs of chicken, 6lbs steak, and then my tilapia I get in the frozen section at many grocery stores where they sell the big bags already frozen. The chicken and steak will last us about 2 months, pending on what our meal plans are each week (hence sometimes buying rotisserie chicken).  Also, it's so easy to pull out the fish in the morning (tilapia or salmon that's been frozen), put it in the fridge for the day, and cook it up at night!  I really like my dinners to be as easy and as whole food containing as possible! 


Salad + Chicken

I'll be combining fresh organic mixed greens, sweet peppers, chives, dried fruit (berry mix), bacon cooked from breakfast and crushed, goat cheese, 1/2 and avocado and rotisserie chicken.  For my dressing, I'm using a raspberry balsamic drizzled over the top with some fresh ground pepper and a little salt.  That's it!  Simple and easy!  To see more easy salads & dressings, check out this post.

Tilapia & broccoli
Tilapia:  I'm not marinating my tilapia this time and will just use Penzy spices Northwoods seasonings sprinkled on top as I cook it with a little oil in a pan on medium heat.

Broccoli:  To steam the broccoli, Neal and I use a small strainer filled to the brim with broccoli that's been salted and peppered slightly, then put into a bowl that has about 1/5 cup of water in it.  Then we put that in the microwave for 3 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.

Chicken Divan Casserole
This recipe came from Neal's mom!

• 20 oz frozen broccoli
• 3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut
• 1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs or crackers (using leftover bread butts to make ours)
• Cooking spray or 1T butter melted for the bottom of your pan (while oven is on, put the butter in the pan for 2 min and then pull pan out and swirl to move the butter)
• Sauce, combine the following in a bowl:
• 2 Cans cream of chicken soup (I'm doing mushroom for one can)
• 1 Cup Mayo (I'll probably knock it down to 1/3 C since mayo is a little much for me)
• 1t lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheese (shred your own, it's SO much better!)

It's simple to make.  Layer the Broccoli and the chicken.  Pour your sauce over the mix.  Top it with bread crumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Steak with asparagus and sweet potato
Steak:  on the grill with a little steak rub
Asparagus:  oven baked with this recipe using olive oil, lemon, salt pepper and garlic at 400 degrees for 10 min.
Sweet potato:  we will split one larger one oven baked at 400 degrees for about 35 min, or until tender.

Pumpkin and Carrot Soup
I can't wait to try this recipe from Tone It Up!  I love how easy this sounds and simple the ingredients are!

Lively Happenings on Etsy Turns 1!

Happy Happy Birthday from All of Me to You, I Wish Lively Happenings a Happy Birthday so Ya'll Can Have Presents Too!!!

Lively Happenings on Etsy turns 1 today!!!

It's hard to believe that only a year ago, Lively Happenings store was formed.  The year has been full of updates from the materials used, the photos taken, to my personal mindset on where I want to bring the shop.

In honor of 1 Year, to celebrate all of your fabulous customers, I'm giving you a BIG OL' DISCOUNT!  Use the coupon code ONEYEAR to get 25% off of your purchases today!  Yep, you read that right, 25% off all items with a minimum purchase of $10.  Click this link to shop now!

To highlight some of the events of Lively Happenings Jewelry on Etsy over the past year:

• October 5th, 2012, Lively Happenings store on Etsy & the Facebook page were built
• April 27, 2013, Lively Happenings took part in her first craft fair at Funk in the City in Evansville
• May 3, 2013, the first ever 'BIG' sale for Lively Happenings was a hit as I celebrated my 25th birthday and gave 25% off all purchases over $50 (yes today's deal is all over $10 so that's even better for ya'll!)
• June 4th 2013, Lively Happenings hit 100 sales on Etsy!
• September 6, 2013, Lively Happenings partnered with others for Yoga Light Party
• September 21, 2013, Lively Happenings hit 200 sales on Etsy!
• September 28 & 29 2013, participated in the Etsy Artists of Indiana Art & Craft Fair
• October 3, 2013, Lively Happenings expanded into it's first ever home outside of the internet by beginning to sell in Penny Lane Coffeehouse in Evansville, IN!
• October 5th, 2013 - LIVELY HAPPENINGS TURNS 1!!!

Thank you again for ALL of your support!  I wouldn't be here without all my friends, family, and customers!!!

Etsy Artists of Indiana Show, Lively Happenings Designs

Over the past few weeks (okay honestly months), I've been keeping myself busy in preparation for the Etsy Artists of Indiana Show in Brown County, IN.  After my regular job and on the weekends when I'm not working at Busy Beedz, I've been designing, painting, and making some beautiful little creations in preparation for the show.

I loved my setup at the show, but it's definitely something I'm still working on and developing with each show!

 

 

On Friday, we finally started our 2.5 hour drive to Bloomington/Nashville, IN area and about 45 minutes into the drive, I realized I forgot my shutters!  WHHHHAAATTT!! I totally broke down as Neal calmly drove us home.  All the pressure I put on myself was released in a puddle of tears.  It was pretty pitiful!

Lots of my display pieces, but no shutters!

We got into town at 11:30pm Friday night and settled into our hotel room where we awoke at 5am the next morning.  It took us from about 7-10am to do our setup because we kept forgetting things, like wood screws and drill bits for the jewelry organizer holder.  Let's just say we were a bit of a mess!  But Neal, the champ that he is, just kept helping me laugh it off and continue on with the day!

He's my record keeper!

The two day event, Saturday and Sunday, was a lovely show.  Thank you to everyone that stopped by my booth!  I was able to show designs many customers didn't know where out there!  A lot of people are unfamiliar with druzy jewelry, and I always love seeing someone's face light up when they see one of my designs and learn about the stone.

Many of Lively Happenings Druzy Designs!

 

These are new geode earrings I used to describe what a druzy was.  If you take the sparkling inside out of the geode, that's a druzy!



One of my @LivelyHappening Instagram Collaborations

The new organizers were a big hit, and many people stopped to admire them!  The white and teal one sold on the first day!

 

Thank you again to all the customers that stopped by!

 

 

I'm so happy to have made new connections and even some friends!  I loved Brown County and hope to go back!  Below, bottom left, are some of my finds from the Rock Shop!

I hope to see ya'll at the next show in December at Castle High School in Newburgh, IN to support the Castle High School Band!

Stay tuned over the continuing weeks as I am planning on doing some Throwback Thursday's of this past summers adventures including, but not limited too:

• Our 45+ mile Tunnel Hill Bike ride (I never thought Neal would forgive me!)
• A beautiful Southern Wedding at an old plantation home turned war hospital, what!
• Take Me Out to the Ballgame - A Baseball Themed Baby Shower!
• Breaking in the Keezer - yes, that's for beer!
• Exploring the MANY geysers at Yellowstone National Park surrounding Old Faithful
• Completing my 25 year fitness goals and hiking Lake Solitude in Grand Teton National Park (my most favoritest place ever!)

3 Years with My Love!

Today marks 3 years of marriage!!!

I think Brad Paisley totally said it right, "...and I thought I loved you then."   I feel like until this past year, I didn't fully know what love was.  I knew I loved Neal and I knew he loved me, but when you actually have to weather a few storms, finding your way back into the sun shining high above with a rainbow in the distance, that's when I feel I truly knew more of what love is all about. 

Going out one night in Spring 2013

 

We have had SO much excitement this past year mixed in with our fair share of challenges.  Neal has been the best support I could have ever been given as we are trying new things and growing up in ways I never could have imagined. 

When I was 18, I thought my life at 25 would be very different.  I'd be on may way to becoming a big business woman at a big corporation, single and focused only on my career.  Well that's very very far from the truth and I honestly couldn't be more thankful. 
 
Through Neal, I've been able to learn that work is important, but it's definitely not everything, or even close to it.  Over the past year we have become business partners.  We are currently landlords of one rental property and in the process of taking on another, duplex, property.  Our ambitions aren't set on sight just a few years ahead, they are set on seeing us through the next 50 years!  I am SO PROUD of Neal for becoming this great entrepreneur who's constantly searching for, honing in on, and developing his skills.  He listens to books on tape all about investments, taking advice from the wealthy and super wealthy, and bringing that knowledge back to us.  Though my life looks so different than what I thought it would be, it's way better than I could have ever imagined.
 
I'm also incredibly fortunate and thankful to be able to have opened my own company, Lively Happenings.  I love making jewelry, and Neal is my constant support.  He helps me make finishing touches, talk about the money side of the business, and is my craft fair companion.  Though this is not my main work, more of a creative outlet for me, Neal is able to give it equal importance and attention when I need him.

At Zoo Brew 2013

 
A little recap of this past year:

• Opening my own business, Lively Happenings
• Becoming landlords
• Being with my mom as she got married (see her pretty invites we made here)
• Learning how to manage and anxiety filled dog.  Thanks for this one, Walden...
• Going on a beautiful vacation to Cancun with some of our best friends
• Doing a 45 mile bike ride where I thought Neal might kill me at the end...he hated it, I loved it!
• Facing major challenges with my reproductive system, brining crazy hormonal episodes I hope never happen again.
• Neal supporting me through my second, and likely last, half marathon
• Meeting more friends and learning to love Indiana more each day!

Celebrating 3 Years
To celebrate our 3 year anniversary, we went to the French Lick area of Indiana where we zip lined for the first time in Lark Valley, enjoyed some great food at a local restaurant/bar, explored West Baden Hotel, French Lick Casino, and the French Lick Winery.
 
We dropped the dogs off at daycare/overnight care and went on our way this past Saturday to Lark Valley Zip Lines.  We had SO much fun!  Both of us loved the zip lines and were so glad we did this little mini adventure.  For our first anniversary, we went spelunking at Morengo Caves.  For our second anniversary, we did the "Viking Assault".  So I knew I wanted some sort of adventure for the 3 year and found the Groupon for Lark Valley!

 

 

 

  

  
We had planned to spend a good portion of the rest of our day at the French Lick Winery, until we got to the winery.  The last winery we had gone to was Huber Orchards and Winery, which if you haven't been there I recommend you go because it's beautiful and fun!  We assumed, wrongly, all wineries were like this.  The French Lick Winery is nothing more than the building which they ferment and make the wine.  There's no vineyards, no tours, no other attractions.  We still taste tested some wine before exploring more of the town, French Lick, and then coming back to the winery for our dinner of an appetizer and a bottle of their Traminette.
 
Enjoying a delicious lunch at a great little bar/restaurant after zip lining.
 

 

So for the other portion of the day, we explored the grand West Baden Hotel.

 
I liked it, Neal thought it just looked old!  Here's a peak at the inside.  We didn't take any garden pictures, but it's worth a visit to see the beautiful gardens they have. 
  

 
After exploring the hotel, we went over to the French Lick Casino, where we lost $8 and decided to stop.  Yea, we aren't so great at gambling, and we don't think that's a bad thing!
 
The casino used to be a hot spot for many famous people to stop.  There's this spring called Pluto's Spring that they used to bottle water from to help cure many ailments from headaches & bowel issues to alcoholism.  The spring is filled with sulfur water, and when you walk out into the gardens, you can't help but have your breath knocked away.  They no longer sell the bottled "Pluto Water" but you can take 'healing' sulfur baths at the spa.
 



Neal at the spring's well...it smelled so we didn't stay long


 

 

Neal with Pluto, alright!

It was very relaxing just taking the day easy and exploring the area.  If we were to go back, I'd want to stay at the Casino's hotel or at the West Baden hotel.  We stayed at a great and clean Comfort Inn, but since there's honestly not all that much to do in the French Lick area if you don't want to gamble or if you are done with your outdoor activities, being able to relax at one of the pools would have been nice.
 

I'm so glad we were able to take the weekend together to celebrate our anniversary, and I'm so happy to be where we are today!  I love you Bug!