Right On Band on Fox News!

Right On Band is a FANTASTIC band that I had the pleasure of working with this past spring. They played at a birthday party that I coordinated. They were so great before, during and after the party.

While I was catching up on some news this evening, I heard that Right On Band will be playing in Times Square for Fox News tomorrow night (New Years Eve!) Not only do they get that honor, but they will be playing for our president elect at the inauguration in just a few weeks!

If you are wanting to have a fun party, I would definitely consider booking this band. You will love them! But you better book now, they fill up quickly!

Happy New Years!!!

Seven Cheap Foods to Serve at your Party

If you are having either a Christmas party or a New Years Eve party, you'll want to serve food that your guests will love. But you don't have to break the bank while filling your friends bellies. Here are seven foods that Money Smart Life says that you should consider for your holiday party:

Chocolate Fondue: Melt some milk chocolate and add light cream and vanilla extract to keep the chocolate from getting lumpy. Then, pick four items as dippers. Serve the fondue in a cool dish, and you’ve got a great dessert that looks like a professional did it.

Mini Crab Cakes: Look for a recipe online to make these wonderful appetizers. The only pricey part of this dish is the crab meat, and the rest is chopped vegetables, mayonnaise and bread crumbs.

Chili: Most people love chili, and it’s easy and cheap to make. Use your favorite recipe, and serve it in punch-style, plastic cups. To give it some extra flare, provide all of the extras such as oyster crackers, sour cream, cheese, and croutons.

Baked Brie: Make a baked ball of brie in the oven with your choice of topping to bake it with. Almonds are always a good choice. Instead of serving it with crackers, use fresh slices of french bread.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: If you don’t do chocolate fondue, then you can easily make chocolate covered strawberries for an elegant look and a crowd favorite. To keep this dish cheaper, look for strawberries in bulk at your local farmer’s market or produce stand.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip: All of these ingredients are cheap and the recipe is nothing more than throwing a bunch of ingredients together and baking it. It’s one of my favorite dips. Serve it with pumpernickel bread cubes and/or crackers.

Pigs In a Blanket: Okay, this one might not look to elegant when you serve it, but they are always one of the first items gone when we make them at parties. To dress this dish up a little bit, offer different dipping sauces like honey dijon dressing, honey mustard, ranch dressing, and nacho cheese.

Great Gift / Favor Idea

Whew, what a loooong past couple of weeks! Like I said in my last post, I was in Florida for an event and then flew straight to Dayton, Ohio to do the Christmas thing with extended family. I just got back in town last night and am feeling a little overwhelmed with the amount of work that I have got to get done by the first of the year, so please bare with me if I don't post as often as I used to. But for now, take a look at this really cute idea:

I saw these wonderful gifts on The Nest (for those of you are avid Knotties, this is the next step up once you are married). For those who like to be creative with your gift giving, wrap up this apple tree for your next gift. If you are looking for a unique favor you can always use this too. You are not only giving a great favor, but you are also giving back to the Earth.

You can find this gift at WishingFish.com. While you are there take a look at all the other great goodies that they have!

Off to Florida

I am leaving for Florida tomorrow to go visit family. From Florida, my husband and I are flying directly to Ohio to visit my side of the family. So, needless to say, we are going to be very busy for the next few weeks. I don't know how much I will be able to post so I wanted to make sure that I gave you something good that you could last a few weeks on :)

I found this website that has the most fun and crazy gifts. It is called The Spoon Sisters and they have so many unique gifts that you will just have to get on their site to look at them all. But here are a few that I thought were really cute:
The Newly Non-Drinking Girl's Guide To Pregnancy - Surviving 40 Weeks Without a Cosmopolitan

When you find out you're pregnant, you've officially crossed the line from "Drinking for One" to "Eating for Two." Yes, the prospect of 40 long, long weeks without a single cocktail is enough to strike dread into the heart, and fear into the belly of even the most moderate of drinkers. Here’s a hilarious and honest look at how to survive pregnancy without alcohol, and recipes for 50 mocktails - from Mock Champagne to Post-Sex on the Beach -- to quench the thirst and keep you social, without getting tipsy. There’s practical information on alcohol and pregnancy, fun advice on how to survive birthdays to barbecues sans cocktails, as well as finding sobriety support at home. The authors, one a doctor, give newly pregnant women insight into how to survive --if not thrive-- while going the full 40 without “a drink”. The perfect book for any party girl who finds herself pregnant.

Do You Know Your Bride? Do You Know Your Groom? - A Quiz About Your Future Mate

You love your future mate, you want to spend the rest of your life with this person -- but what DON'T you know about them? Sure you know whether or not she wants children, but do you know: Who taught her to drive a car? If she has ever jumped on a trampoline? Sure you know what his favorite sport is, but Do you know If he was ever in a fist fight? What he would do if served raw oysters? Any soon-to-be bride or groom should “take this test before they take the plunge”. Have your chosen one correct the answers; it’s a guaranteed way to learn a whole lot more about the person you're going to share your life with. Makes a perfect addition to any Bridal Shower gift. Sold as a set of Bride and Groom. Pad with durable cardboard backing. Click Select One below to choose. Measures 5"W x 7"H.

Cow Tape Measure

This adorable cow uses her tail for more than swatting flies. Pull out her tail when you need to measure something, and milk her for what she’s worth in inches or centimeters. Calibrated up to 60 inches; up to 150 centimeters. Measures 2 1/8” x 2 1/8”.

Welcome, December!

Now that it is December, we all need to start decorating for Christmas (if you already have not). I know in my household, we don't do anything pertaining to Christmas until after Thanksgiving. It seems like holidays are just so rushed anymore, and when we start focusing on Christmas before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving passes us without us even knowing it.

So, as I was looking for decor ideas, once again Better Homes and Gardens had some really cute examples on their website:

Swirling Trees and Lollipops
Whimsical and bright, striped fondant topiary trees put a twist -- literally -- on ordinary holiday decor. Place them in white containers to make the vivid colors pop.

Whimsical Winter
Put a twist on the holidays by painting traditional holiday symbols in unconventional colors. You may like your new dotted Christmas tree so much you'll keep it up year-round!

Paper Panache
A curled paper tree could be the ultimate in disposable decor. Simply glue long strips of colorful paper to a wooden dowel or stake and then roll the paper around a pencil or marker. Gently unroll for a whimsical curl.

Party-Time Peppermint
A cohesive red-and-white color scheme pulls together these glass vases filled with peppermints and the simple white trees with candy ornaments.