Monopoly House Party

Through houseparty.com, I recently won the chance to host a Monopoly Unleashed House Party that I applied for.  I was sent a "Party Pack" with Monopoly, Connect 4, Candy Land, and Monopoly Deal Millionaire from Hasbro with the requirements to invite at least ten people, host a party, play the games, and take some photos. So we invited lots of friends over for Friday night, and I spent a couple of days prepping for the party. I went with the Monopoly theme, as that game was the star of the box.

I made Mini Lasagna Cups, garlic bread, a veggie tray with dip, and cupcakes for snacks/dinner:

(I made the toppers for the cupcakes. If you have any reason for a board game-themed party and would like to print these, you can find them HERE to download and print.)

We had quite the turnout, with many friends filling our apartment. We broke up into groups and played the games from the Party Pack. Monopoly ran almost the whole night long. After playing through the other games a few times, we also broke out other games to play, some of which were made by our friends Mike & Kelsey (of Two Penny Games). 

Monopoly now has a new playing token - a cat! (If you were a fan of the iron, it no longer exists.) Mike was the lucky "winner" of the cat token.

After a dueling game with lots of trading and bartering, our Monopoly winner was Luay (and his side-kick Heather):

Some other games that made an appearance:

The Amberden Affair - Two Penny Games

Rousing rounds of Catch Phrase!

and Castle Panic.

The late-stayers participated in some photo booth silliness:  

This one took a few shots...

Mike & Kelsey - their cuteness just can't be beat.

A beard, special made for Reba! It made her so happy. And this picture makes me happy.

Travis and Mike pondering...

Photo booth kisses!

Kelsey nearly loosing an eye.

Told you.

Everyone had a great time! I loved planning and prepping for the party as well. I'm glad I had the chance to do it!

My favorite month

Hello April. 

Are you guys glad it's April?  I am. Not only does April usually mean the beginning of good, warm weather and Easter (sometimes), but it's my birthday month!!!  [get ready to send happy wishes my way on the 4th!]

While 24 is still young, I do realize that I am aging (at what seems like an increasingly rapid rate....).  Here's a few ways you can tell if the same thing is happening to you:

• You're watching the news and you realize the newscaster is probably your age.  When did I grow up enough to be old enough to be a newscaster?!
• You realize your mom isn't 40 anymore.  There must have been an age where learning people's ages is cool- at that point in my life, my mom was going on 40.  Now when someone asks, "How old is your mom?" (not really sure when this happens... but it can come up in conversation.) I think in my head, "Oh about forty...well, she was forty when I was (say) 8...now I'm 24... so now my mom is __?! Wait, when did that happen?!"   (Love you mom!)
• At 8 you thought 40 was old.  At 24 you don't think your mom is old at all!  The age for "old" drastically increases as you approach it. 
• Your friends' younger brothers and sisters are graduating high school.... or college. And you think "that can't be... you're still "little"!!!"
• You congratulate a high school classmate on the birth of his new baby. (Insert: when did we become old enough to have kids?!)  He asks when you're going to have one yourself.  You say "when all of this school is finally over.... maybe by the time our 10 year reunion rolls around."  Then you think... "10 year reunion... that's....only 4 years away?!!"

I think you get my drift.  Growing up happens so fast.

This makes me realize that I need to spend my days enjoying them and making the most of them - not complaining about them.  I need a huge sign (probably on the ceiling above our bed so that I see it before I declare a day "bad") that reads:

"This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24

Well, even though it's my birthday month and you all should be sending me beautiful gifts (just kidding... sort of... no really!), I'm sharing with you instead!  Here is this month's printable calendar- get it "April showers."

click HERE to download and print your own!

Goodbye Lovely Month, Hello Spring?

By the end of this week February will be gone.  Somehow the days of this month ran in fast forward.

It's been a busy month in relation to school and an eventful month for Jesse having gone on vacation to Colorado.  Even under the piles of school work I feel buried in most weeks, I really do love this life we are living together. It's the little things sometimes - like just enjoying the fact that my husband got to get out of his cubicle and glide down snowy mountains and enjoy the outdoors,

(I wasn't even there and I can't get enough of this view. Don't give me weird looks if it winds up as my desktop background.)

or decorating the mantel in celebration of our love during the month of Valentine's (sappy, I know),

(the "B" was recycled from our wedding decor; the yarn heart wreath was a Pinterest inspiration; as was the framed printable and the paper heart garland; two Valentine's cards- one from each set of our parents; oh, and ignore the fact there is no candle in the candlestick; and yes those are still the branches of our ex-Christmas tree peaking into the corner, we're keeping it around for a while, sans ornaments)

or taking a few minutes here and there to create something to make my desk space a happier place, and to share with you.

click HERE to download and print

(excuse the blurriness of the copied image, it won't be blurry when you print)

I like a cute, blank, month-size calendar to fill in all of my big events to display above my desk.  I've found printable ones online, but I've enjoyed making my own. I tinkered around and created a February calendar but never got around to sharing it. So, here is the first official calendar of the year for you to print and fill in with all of your events. Hang it on your fridge, or bulletin board, or place it in your binder - what have you.  I plan to make one each month. As you print this PDF select "fit to page" ... I got a little carried away close to the borders (and don't forget landscape). 

(all credits are not to me from making this from scratch - the cute images were downloaded elsewhere as free scrapbooking elements and I just threw them together on the calendar)

Soon we will say hello to spring! (Insert complaint about the recent and ongoing cold and rain.)

Christmas Card List Printable

From time to time I get really inspired and crafty, and I stir up my inner "graphic designer" and decide to create printable documents for various needs or occasions. Some of you have seen my "work" first hand through a few invitations I've created along the way (including my own wedding invitations).  I would like to start sharing those that could benefit others (making them good enough to share gives me practice at these creations).  I often get ideas from printables I find on Pinterest (see my whole board dedicated to printable things here), but they are not always specific to my needs, so I make my own!

And, since it is time to start thinking of sending all those merry wishes, I thought some of you may like a copy of my latest "printable" - the Christmas Card List!  I decided to make this to house not only addresses, but to check off who I sent one to, and who I received one from.  (Now, this is not to keep tabs on you all who don't send us a Christmas card.  I thought it would be interesting to see who does send one our way, and I can add to our list if we receive an unexpected card.)

(click here to download the PDF)

It is a 4-page document that goes up to #66 because that was what would fit on 4 pages, which I thought was plenty.  If you find that you have more than 66 loved ones you would like to wish a Merry Christmas, please let me know and I can email you a document with additional pages!

Enjoy!