ten year olds love burgers.

this weekend we had a little party for our very sweet about to be ten year old.

he has a ridiculous obsession with burgers, so he and his friends went on a taste-test around phoenix to find what they determined to be the "best burger" in town.

thanks to smeeks, i found the perfect "burger themed" erasers that we added to the gummy burgers from the balboa candy store.

it was quite the burger-themed extravaganza.

i love blogs.

i love blogs because they are pretty or interesting 

or inspiring or even just a good way to kill a little time.

but i really love blogs because of how they bring

people together in that weird 

"i've-never-actually-met-you-but-feel-like-i-know-you" 

sort of a way.

the other day i got a box in the mail with all these wonderful, summery goodies inside.

just because i left a comment on a blog.

melanie's blog has long been at the top of my list,

but she is now my kids' favorite stranger.

{remember she also sent us this}

lucy wants to know when she can meet her.

so, thanks to melanie, i didn't have to do anything for our end of summer, back to school dinner.  it all showed up in a box ready for me.

thanks, melanie.

last minute happy.

i procrastinated our annual back-to-school dinner

this year and had to throw something together the day of.

i randomly decided on a camp-ish theme, mainly because

i wanted to do something with feathers...

not really sure why, just the whim of the moment.

so, i made this simple little mix of streamers 

and paper feathers to hang over our table.

i must say, it added that perfect little bit

of specialness to our evening.

and i really like when things feel special...

and for a super quick last minute

"campy" dessert, we made these

smores bars.

so easy, so good, so very bad for you...

last minute...

need a last minute dessert to bring to 

a 4th of july barbecue tonight?

here is a whole list of good ideas...

from martha stewart.

my good ol' go-to.

thanks, martha.

i'm thinking either the vanilla-raspberry sundaes

of the summer shortcake.

what do you think?

a happy summer party!

i was recently the lucky recipient of a

party-in-a-box

from the lovely melanie of you are my fave.

she sent us all sorts of goodies for a

first day of summer ice cream party.

she certainly knows how to find the very best

little prizes to personalize a party.

i don't think i ever want to do my own

party shopping again...

all three of my kids declared this our best party ever.

melanie, you should sell themed parties in a box

for people to custom order.

you open it up, set everything out and

wow your family and friends.

i did have a go at making my own

ice cream cone holder using these

ever-so-simple directions.
my kids thought it was amazing.
i do love anything that is simultaneously
easy for me and impressive to my kids...

melanie also included a popsicle mold,

so we made strawberry lemonade popsicles as well...

oh, and root beet floats...

and what party is complete

without an impromptu little photo booth...

happy summer!

take me outside.

with Easter and mother's day on the 

horizon, I've been dreaming up some lovely

settings...picnics...such as these beauties above.

wouldn't they make the sweetest setting 

for either occasion?

{images from that kind of woman}

alley dinner.

a month or so ago, we decided on a whim

to throw all the kids in the car and head to california.

while we were there we threw together

an impromptu little dinner party in the alley.

it turned out so very sweet and was lovely to sit
 in the cool california breeze eating, drinking and 

watching the kids run around.

we should add impromptu dinner parties into

our weekly routines more often...