Blogging advice needed!

Hello everyone out there in blog land!

There are two reasons I haven't been blogging.
1. We're busy and this little blog doesn't land super high on my list of priorities, and
2. My blog account is out of free storage, which means I can't upload any more photos unless I want to start paying for it.

Does anyone know a way around this?

I have all of these photos backed up elsewhere, so I could delete the photo albums in Picasa, but then essentially the old blog posts are gone too...

Has anyone printed a book from their blog?  I know I've seen Groupons for companies that do that...

Any input?  Comment, call or talk to me if you have ANY advice!

Thanks!  :)

For now, maybe I'll post more photos in Facebook or Instagram... or you'll have to wait and see them in person... I'm not sure.

In any case we are busily and joyfully celebrating Advent and preparing for Christmas.  May the peace and joy of Christmas be with you now and throughout the new year!

Love, Sarah

Mermaid Birthday Party

Happy 5th Birthday, Emily!!

Here's a peek at Em's mermaid party...

I made this super quick and easy sign out of a piece of cardboard.

I saw something similar on Pinterest with 2x4s, but I didn't have any lying around, and I did have a cardboard box :)

 The craft table with a mermaid coloring page and a small box of Princess crayons for each girl.

Mermaid page: Living Locurto Mermaid printables here

Princess crayons 3/$1 at Dollar Tree

Birthday cupcakes (with mermaid cupcake toppers) on a cake stand with some brown sugar as sand with a white chocolate conch shell.

Pink and white fake pearls (from the thrift store and cake decorating shop) with sea glass stones dress up a plain white tablecloth.

I opted for small water bottles instead of juice or anything sugary since the girls would be having plenty of treats :)

(Grapes and blue jello--for lunch ended up in this photo but they didn't stay on the table)

PB & Jelly Fish/Starfish sandwiches

(We also had turkey & cheese but I don't have a photo.)

Also in the background you can sort of see the fish bowl of goldfish and mini fishbowl of swedish fish :) 

I kept the decorations to a minimum, but this was on the mantel. . .

(Confession: I think this was more for me than the kids--complete with snarfblat & dinglehopper a la The Little Mermaid.   

The coloring pages were perfect for the start of the party as girls were arriving. 

 The birthday girl and her BFF

The girls were so serious about their coloring! 

(And by the way--they are SUPER sweet girls--I'm so happy they'll all be starting kindergarten together next year, and so thankful for such great friends for my girl!)

After coloring the girls each got a crown to decorate with stickers and markers.

(Dollar Tree, 2/$1 yay!) 

After the crafts we went outside for a game of "Mermaid, Mermaid, Fish!"

(Duck, duck, goose) 

(I planned to play in the grass, but it had been raining and the grass was still wet.  Thankfully though, the rain let up just as the party was starting.) 

(Thanks, Aunt Jill for snapping so many pictures!)

Next up: Mermaid tails and races 

The first mermaid tail had to be rewrapped, but we got it eventually :) 

The little mermaids  

 All lined up and ready to race for their crowns

 Go!

 Time for favor bags (mermaid themed little beach bags, also from the Dollar Tree) to collect treats in from the piñata.

Little brother wanted in on the fun! 

 Even after pulling the ribbons, the piñata didn't budge so Mommy got a turn :)

 Lunch time 

"Happy Birthday Emily!" sign on the inside of the door, printables here from Living Locurto (same as invite and cupcake toppers)

 Lunch was followed by story time with Aunt Jill reading "The Pirate Princess"

 Noah played nearby

Cupcakes and pearl punch 

(Pearl punch in the making.  Recipe here)

"Happy Birthday dear Emily, happy birthday to you!!"

 Yum.

 Presents

When opening every gift she smiled, dropped her jaw and said,

"Ah!  Thanks ________!  I LOVE it!"

 Such sweet friends and so many generous gifts!

 Time for a treasure hunt led by our pirates: Daddy and Uncle Mike.

They did a fantastic job with clues and getting the girls running all over the front and back yard hunting for the items in question.

Eventually the last one led to the treasure chest where they found bead necklaces, chocolate gold coins, rings, bubbles and more to fill their favor bags.  

After the treasure hunt the party wrapped up pretty quickly.

Some bubbles blown in the backyard, play with balloons, pin the crown on Ariel and some free play time as parents came back to pick up their daughters.

 Em and Noah post-party.  What a fun morning!

Goodbye Mermaids!  Thanks for joining us!

Next up for the parents: NAP TIME!  :)