Moore Minutes: March 2013

Thursday, March 21, 2013

how to make the NEW birthday card via surprise social networking! Plus our Denver getaway hotspots

My bf-ever just celebrated her once a year occasion! And I wanted to send an updated style birthday card via social networking.

We all live in a NEW WORLD now with all this super cool techy stuff and social networking outlets surrounding us on every side. Because of that, I wanted to share a FUN and NEW way to GIVE LOVE via social networking.

The new birthday card:

Send a secret surprise photo banner message on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or all of them!

photo via mooreminutes instagram

Of course a sealed-with-a-kiss white envelope, stamped and mailed is always the sweetest token of love BUT finding new ways that work in our modern world are even more exciting. For all of you online, social addicts, this works!

Imagine, you're cozied up in the corner of your couch, hot tea in one hand, scrolling down and down and down your online pages with the other hand and then you do a double-take on the on screen image because it's YOUR very own name, on your birthday, an instant celebration of YOU over the world wide web.

There is something about it

that makes us feel special when we see our own

personalized

name.

the HOW-TO:

1) Create a LARGE sign (this is easier to read than my sign!) ;) Solid black works well. White works well too if it's photographed correctly. Use a chalkboard, white board, or poster board. Markers, chalk, paint markers, and chalk ink are all good choices.

2) Write your special message and be creative! These celebration social messages could be for more than birthdays!

3) Prop it up. Dress up fun and cute and remember the details of the area you will be taking snapshots of. If you're holding the sign, wear cute nail polish and fun bracelets. If you're leaning the sign by your feet, wear cute shoes, if you're setting the sign up somewhere, add candles next to it, a classic party hat, confetti, or a party blower. Make it festive!

4) Have someone else take the pictures for you. Take a lot. Crop and use your favs!

5) Upload your image onto Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook and wait for them to discover your secret surprise!

Again, these celebration social messages could be used for more than just birthdays! Try this same new concept to announce:

-a move

- a new baby

- a big congrats

- or to send a "just because I love you" message to someone.

We're knee deep in the middle of social network madness age.

Let's work it.

Brandi and I at the PunchBowl Club in Denver, CO

The weekend before Brandi's birthday, we spent the weekend in Denver being together and doing some celebrating. I've shared about my best girl Brandi before HERE. She was also with us over Christmas in this post HERE.

We may share the same last name, but we aren't related. She is my sister who is not a sister. {wink}

Brandi bought us matching friendship bracelets for a Christmas gift too!

photo via mooreminutes instagram

For a city-ish birthday dinner we took her to one of my favorite Denver spots: D Bar Desserts! This restaurant serves only desserts and appetizers. How many times do theses choices look so yummy on the menu BUT then you're too full to want any. D Bar's concept is ideal because it skips the main course and gets right down to the good stuff. If you're in Denver, try this hip dessert bar out! I did a blog review about D Bar desserts a couple years ago if you want to read up on it more here: Where to eat when on vacation.

I swung by an adorable flower shop before meeting Brandi and picked her up a super pretty cropped bouquet of beauties before our birthday dinner.

Titus was an extra sweetheart and wanted to use his own money to buy her an extra rose he picked out too. (love that boy!)

A quick table set up and we were ready to party.

I found an adorable CHERRY CANDLE on etsy! It made the cutest cherry-on-top on the mini milkshake for her birthday dessert.

Happy Birthday to you...la, la, la. Notice the guy in the background. Makes me laugh!

Make a wish birthday girl.

This bar is for kids.

Happy

Sweetest

Birthday

Brandi

Aside from birthday celebrating, we had a fun-filled weekend EATING lots of crazy good food in Denver.

Here we are at SassaFrass American Eatery,

a new favorite brunch spot of mine!

Brandi and Titus

We also toured Hammonds Candy while there!

When you look out into the world

and see

colorful blurs of people rushing about

remember to hold close

YOUR own team of those who

hold your hearts.

And suddenly,

it becomes

a small world after all.

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This post is linked to: Under the Table & Dreamin, Nifty Thrifty, Made by You Monday, Met Monday , Tuesday Tutorials and Tips, HOMEWORK: Be Inspired, Tip Junkie, Get Your Craft On, Works for Me Wednesday, Organize and Decorate Everything, Transformation Thursday, Tablescape Thursday, Strut Your Stuff, 36th Ave, Foodie Friday, I'm Lovin It, Tickled Pink, Friday Flair, Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors, Weekend Wrap Up, Six Sisters Saturday

Sunday, March 17, 2013

May you have plenty of happy tomorrows: GREEN DAY 2013

Celebrating luck gives us playful promises of happy tomorrows.

I believe in luck.
Because I believe in being thankful.
When I am feeling thankful
then I feel
LUCKY.
Practicing gratitude makes me feel
blessed,
content,
happy,
&
LUCKY.

So!
If luck is "by chance" then it is QUITE possible that YOU may (by chance!) feel lucky if you practice a grateful heart!

How lucky each of us are depends on our own perspectives of how we view our own life and on how much gratitude we feel in our hearts.

Because of that,
I think TODAY is my...

photo via instagram mooreminutes

Chris REALLY gave me a lucky day when he surprised me with a random, "just because" GREEN bag!!!

He chose well! ;)

Happy girl.

My new mint green bag.

A cup of hot milk with a stick of mint chocolate swirled in to start a happy O' Green day!

This is a delicious hot chocolate stick from Ticket Kitchen in San Francisco!

Sometimes the best ways to satiate a sweet tooth is with just simple and classic ingredients!

Minted green pencils to celebrate our green day...

Of course I wear green on the 17th of March...I have 3 little boys that would pinch me if I didn't. {wink}

And if I'm lucky, my current read will get my life back to some good routine and organization...

Other green I've spotted in my life:

my favorite green matchsticks.

And my NEW green puffer coat I got this year! This photo was taken on a recent trip to charming Ouray, Colorado! I'm hoping it is the last time I wear it until next winter.

Cameron and I got a day out TOGETHER with a Friday school trip to Ouray. We loved seeing the Ice Park!

BACK to green!
I have a bottle of green colored Sixets I used to make the boys an EASY St. Patrick's Day treat.

Just dots of green in an otherwise plain swirled ice cream cone!

An Irish blessing for YOU:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

To read my FAVORITE Irish blessings and to see other St. Patrick's Day ideas,

see this past blog post here:

MAY YOU ALWAYS WALK IN SUNSHINE

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Titus turns 9 with a kick-back, easy, Turtle amusement party!

I party hard.

Not like that.

I party hard,
like a boss.

a Mama boss.

I {great big heart} parties, holidays, and events. I'm the one who goes over the tip-top to create a forever experience stamped onto the hearts of my loved ones. I like it that way, I just do. I like too many balloons, too many treats, too many party favors, and too many decorations.

I love larger than life moments that create larger than life smiles.

But...

This year we threw Titus a classically NORMAL kids' birthday party without all the extras. I want my boys to enjoy the kick-back, classic GOOD STUFF, whether big or small. We met for a family party at our local fun amusement park. And we had So.Much.Fun!

I'm going to be scattering little tips throughout

on how to keep parties EASY,

when you're feeling more like a lazy mama

than a super star mama. ;)

Titus on his new longboard

from my brother!

This adorable boy turned 9 years old!
This is Titus in the robot costume Chris and I made him for his Christmas pageant this season.

For his party decor, we went all "party in a box" style. I took Titus to the party store and let him wander the isles and pick out his own theme. To my TOTAL delight, he chose TURTLES.

I always try to add in a baby photo as we celebrate THEM!

Adding personal family photos to a party give a warm, inviting, special touch to the decor.

Turtles are perfect for Titus.

It's a long story, but I've compared turtles to my youngest ever since he was 2 years old. He has always been wrapped around my finger and I bought him this cuddly little turtle stuffed animal when the two of us were shopping together when he was 2 years old.

We named the turtle "Patience". The beautiful coincidence between Titus' love for turtles and the name of his little animal is that Titus possesses the beautiful virtue of patience.

pa·tience

noun

quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; not easy annoyed, diligence

Titus' steadfast, steady, patient personality has consistently brought a calm to my life. I've always said that God sent me Titus at the perfect time. In the darkest hours of my days, when I thought a new baby would be so terribly hard to manage, God sent Titus, and this baby was exactly what I needed. I felt his patient heart when he was only a newborn. I would hold him to my chest and a quiet peace would cover my spirit and wouldn't leave me. In the my terrible days of chaos, God gave me Titus, and Titus was my peace and he still is.

He is my constant one,

the great calm in my life.

I had to bring his old turtle stuffed animal to use in the party decor

because it brings back so many memories and so perfectly celebrates Titus.

(and yes! In the photo, Titus is wearing a turtle shirt lol)

Of course, Titus choosing Turtle party decor was perfect! Now you know! {wink} Titus is also SLOW at getting his chores and homework done...slow like a turtle. Titus even has turtle decor in his room that you can check out HERE!

Turtle plates and napkins...party in a box, yes!

favor bags

I bought an ice cream cake from Cold Stone. It was basically plain white and I embellished it. I cut out one of the turtle clear cellophane favor bags and pressed it on top of the cake for the centerpiece. I also added green chocolate balls around the edge.

Super cute, super fast!

I used a food coloring pen to write a message for Titus on the side of the cake.

Dessert and Candy tables are STILL extra popular,

but adding fruit to accompany the cake is a very fast and easy alternative.

Fruit is always beautiful, just like candy is, so it works well!

Filling cupcake liners with fruit instead

Instead of making a big birthday banner,

I decorated one of his gifts with a HAPPY BIRTHDAY message!

I'm always all about the stickers. Easy, fun, cute.

That's 3 quick wins for stickers.

Before we all went out and played at the amusement park, Titus was ready for gifts!

So excited to see what is hidden in all those shiny packages!

He scored big on the LEGO stuff.

Again.

Grandma capturing some precious moments.

Following birthday party tradition we couldn't forget the candles and birthday song...

Titus was all smiles,

all day!

For the rest of the big sunshine March Saturday, we did all of the amusing entertainment! I didn't grab photos because I was too busy being competitive at air hockey, trying out the batting cages, and spending too many tokens trying to win prizes. The boys stood in line over and over again for laser tag and go karts.

I did manage to snag this picture of Mom at the punching game. She knocked that thing hard! Not too bad for a Grandma. ;) We all tried this punching game several times, addictive little money sucker it was!

Go Mom!