One of the components that guests look forward to the most is, of course, the food! Contrary to popular belief, baby shower food does not have to be pricey or expensive to make. This article will provide some easy-to-follow baby shower menu recipes that are sure to awe all your guests. These recipes will make people believe that you spent a fortune on the menu, yet they will cost a fraction of what people generally spend on catering for events like showers.

Some of the easiest appetizers and snacks come already pre-made! Buy refrigerated croissant dough, biscuit dough, and cookie dough. Use baby-themed cookie cutters like diaper and baby bottle shapes, and roll croissant dough in the shape of diapers. You can also use pastel-colored sprinkles for the cookies to add a cute touch. These snacks are easy, inexpensive, and delicious!

Another idea is to make adorable, little baby-themed cupcakes. Buy cake mix and add the other ingredients as directed on the box. Bake in cake cups and decorate with frosting and sprinkles. A couple of drops of food coloring can be added to plain, white frosting to create light, pastel colors. Heart-shaped cupcakes stand out a bit more and look beautiful, but the size and shape of the cupcakes are entirely up to you.

The next recipe is a delicious and colorful salad recipe. This recipe is nutritious yet very appetizing, and will definitely be loved by all the ladies! In one or two large salad bowls, mix 2 to 4 bags of spring mix lettuce (depending on the size of your shower and the number of guests), 1 to two small packages of baby tomatoes, 1 to 2 cups of diced cucumber, ” to 1 cup of shredded carrots, 1 to 2 cans of canned, sweetened tangerine slices, ” to 1 cup of raisins, and ” to 1 cup of caramelized pecans. Serve chilled with honey mustard or a sweet style vinaigrette.

An amazing fruit salad, popular in parts of Latin America is made using strawberries, mango, melon, sliced bananas, grapes, sliced oranges, sliced apple, and sliced pear. You can adjust the types and variety of fruits to fit your taste. Mix all the fruit pieces in a large decorative bowl and generously drizzle with sweetened condensed milk. Add caramelized almonds if desired.

A fabulous spinach dip that can be served with both corn chips and crackers calls for 1 ” cups of real mayo (you can use light mayo if preferred), ” cup of softened cream cheese, 1 package of frozen spinach (cooked and drained), ” cup chopped green onion, ” teaspoon of salt, ” teaspoon of pepper, and parsley to taste. Combine all ingredients and serve warm. If desired, you can melt Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese over the dip before serving. Provide an assortment of crackers and crunchy corn chips to eat the spinach dip with.

These easy to follow, pre-made recipes will take up almost none of your time, and are guaranteed to bring compliments!

Some of the most important and memorable experiences of a baby shower are the baby-themed games that are characteristic of the American baby shower. Games and activities make up a big part of the fun and excitement in the celebration that will welcome your new coming baby into the world. When it comes to picking the right games for your shower, be sure to center your activities on the overall theme of the party. Consider the number of guests that have been invited, your budget, and the location of the baby shower, in order to choose the games that will be best suited for your event. Creating a combination of traditional, timeless games and new, original activities is always a good way to go to add festivity to the segment of the shower whereby Mom opens up all the newborn gifts.

Games can be classic and general, or more specific and tied to your theme. One of the most universal baby shower games that everyone seems to love is called “Dont Say Baby.” At the beginning of the baby shower, each guest is given a string with a pacifier on it, which he or she ties on his or her neck as a necklace. Throughout the course of the baby shower, nobody is allowed to say the word, “baby.” Whoever slips and says “baby,” risks losing their pacifier; any person who hears someone say the forbidden word is entitled to take their pacifier and add it to their necklace. Even when she opens up a newborn baby gift, no one can exclaim how neat the baby gift is. At the end of the baby shower, whoever collects the most pacifiers on their necklace is the winner of the game.

Another good classic activity is “Guess Mommys Belly Size.” For this game, you will need yarn or string, and a pair of scissors. Each guest proceeds to pull and cut the yarn or string to the size they believe that the mommys tummy is. After everyone has estimated the size of the mommy-to-bes stomach, measure the actual size of the belly, and cut the string or yarn to match that length. The person whose string is the closest in size to the string that was cut to mommys real tummy measurement is the winner.

A fun and amusing game that is always a hit in baby showers is a “Blindfolded Baby Food Race.” In this game, you will need a few volunteers to act as the “mommies” in this game, and matching pairs to act as “babies.” Mommies will be blindfolded and the babies will sit on their laps. When the clock starts, the blindfolded mommies have to feed the babies as quickly and efficiently as they can. To make the activity more pleasant for the “baby” volunteers, it is important to purchase yummy, fruit-flavored baby foods. Otherwise, your guests will be making funny faces as they try to gulp down peas and asparagus flavored puree. The mommy-and-baby team that finishes the fastest is the winning pair.

Games add fun, spirit, and laughs to your celebration that are sure to make lifetime memories that will never be forgotten. Be sure to get small gifts for the winners of the games with anticipation. The prizes that you buy for the event are completely up to you, depending on your shower theme and budget. Whatever the case may be, be sure to make the game-planning and prize-choosing process enjoyable and fun! The whole event, including games, food and opening all the unique baby gifts for the new little prince should be a memorable one for everyone.

Although traditional baby shower games never fail and are always a success, new baby shower games are emerging and spreading across the United States. These cool, unconventional activities are different than the classics but with all the fun and more. If you are aiming for a hip, edgier baby shower with a twist from the classic, all-American baby shower, include a few of these new, trendy games that are sure to be a hit at your shower.

The “Dirty Diaper” game is one of the most clever and unusual, yet surprisingly sweet games out there. For this game, fold white cloth napkins or square pieces of white fabric into small diapers. Inside one of these mini diapers, place an unwrapped Hersheys kiss or any other chocolate bonbon. Fasten all the diapers with a baby diaper safety pin.

When guests arrive to the baby shower, hand one mini baby diaper to each person. Tell the guests to keep them closed and to not open them until instructed to do so. Then, when the time comes for all your games and activities, tell your guests that one of them has a dirty diaper. Tell them to open the diapers all at once, and whoever has the “dirty diaper,” or the chocolate bonbon inside of their diaper, wins a prize.

Another game with a meaning is the “umbilical cord.” For this game, you will need two spools of string or yarn, and two spoons. Choose volunteers and set up two or more teams of about eight to ten people. Attach each spoon to the tip of each string or yarn. The point of the game is to pass the “umbilical cord” through all the members of each team, by passing the string in through the neck seam and out through the opening of the skirt of each team player. This is very humorous, as you can imagine. The first team that passes the cord through all of the members wins.

A game that is becoming increasingly popular among baby showers is “Guess Whos Baby Picture?” For this game, make sure to tell guests on the invitations, and remind them before the shower, to bring in a baby picture of themselves when they were infants. Number each picture and put them up on a big bulletin board. During the games and activities session of your baby shower, give each guest a paper and pens or pencils. Have each paper numbered with the amount of pictures posted on the bulletin board.

When the game begins, tell the guests to fill in the numbers on the paper with the names of the people who they believe correspond to the baby picture. For example, if I think that baby picture #1 corresponds to Katie, I would write “Katie” after the number one on my paper. The guest that has highest number of right answers wins the challenge. If there is more than one guest with the same highest number of right answers, issue a tiebreaker.

Remember, all of these new games started as an idea. Try to come up with a few clever, never before used games. Who knows, they could potentially become a hit by the end of the year!

Baby shower games can be very entertaining and exciting for both the expectant mother and the guests. Choosing or making prizes should be equally enjoyable for the host of the baby shower. Prizes are pretty much up to the host to decide on, and can range from homemade, personalized gifts to store-bought presents. When it comes to selecting the types of prizes that you will use for the baby shower, keep in mind that creativity is key.

A sweet-and-simple idea for prizes that will suit anyones budget is a candy baby bottle. For this, all you will need are empty baby bottles, candy, and ribbon. Fill empty baby bottles with candies and chocolates, close the baby bottle with the top, and add your own decorative touch with ribbon or other accessories, if desired. Dont be hesitate to add your own style to the bottles and personalize them”unique gifts are the best ones!

T-shirts can also be personalized and used as gifts and/or prizes. You can design your own T-shirts and have them made for your shower. This makes for a cute gift and is a wonderful keepsake. T-shirts have recently become very popular for events like baby showers.

Candles and bath treats are amongst the most popular prizes for women. Women seem to love anything and everything that has to do with spa treatments and that relates to pampering themselves. Most women love aromatic candles, gift soaps, lotions, and body splashes. These will definitely be a hit at your baby shower.

Another thing most women cannot live without is chocolate. A beautiful box of fine and exquisite chocolates makes an excellent gift that all your guests will definitely enjoy.

Gift cards and gift certificates are a recent trend that is a crowd favorite! General, broad department stores like Macys, Target, and JC Penney are good choices for gift cards. Restaurants and coffee shops like Olive Garden, T.G.I. Fridays, and Starbucks are great picks, too. Dont forget about video rental stores and electronic stores like Blockbuster Video and Best Buy; they are top picks among young adults today.

Coffee mugs filled with candy, picture frames, and other household items are a favorite among housewives and people interested in interior design. Stationary kits and personalized journals are cute and simple, and make wonderful gifts. Another favorite for women of all ages is a flower arrangement or bouquet.

If you enjoy baking scrumptious desserts, make homemade cookies or brownies and decorate them according to your showers colors and theme. Wrap them in a clever and unique way, and dont forget to personalize them. This idea is simple, convenient, and easy on your pocket.

Prizes make the games and activities more fun and exciting by adding an adequate amount of competition, along with motivation and enthusiasm. Gifts and prizes make everyone feel special and proud. Whether you choose to make your gifts or buy them, personalize them and add your special touch. Be fun, be creative, and most importantly, be you!

Giving out invitations for your shower should be something exciting that you look forward to. Although traditional “Its a Boy”and “Its a Girl”invitations are a safe and classic choice, creative invitations are bound to leave your guests itching with anticipation to attend your shower. Today, there are numerous companies that specialize in creative invitations for all types of events.

A “message in a bottle” invitation is a clever way to announce the birth of your baby. These can be purchased from a company or can even be made at home with materials that can be bought at a local craft store. A typical “message in a bottle”invitation is composed of a decorative paper with all the invite details, rolled up and placed inside of a plastic or glass bottle. To customize this idea in order to fit a baby shower, use baby bottles instead of regular plastic or glass bottles, and throw in some colorful confetti.

Personalized candy bars or chocolate boxes are another new trend that has spread around the United States rapidly. These make great baby shower invitations! You can alter and personalize the design of the wrapper to match your baby shower theme. Include all the event details like the date, time, place, and RSVP number. A company can professionally make these invitations, or, you can use a candy bar invitation wrapper template that can be found online to design your invitations.

Cute baby shoes can also be used as adorable little invitations. You can purchase tiny baby booties in the color and style of your choice and place decorative note card invitations inside of the baby shoe. Baby shoe invitations are relatively new and uncommon, but make lovely and charming invitations.

With new technologies emerging, it has become easier to create unconventional invitations like the “baby picture”invitation. When expectant mothers get an ultrasound at the doctor, they can ask for an ultrasound picture. This picture can be used to design clever invitations with a picture of the baby inside of the mothers womb. Many people find this moving and heartwarming.

Another type of invitation that has become possible to create with technology is the e-mail invitation, otherwise known as e-cards or e-invitations. There are numerous different types of e-mail invitations that you simply choose and customize to make it your own. Then, e-mail the invitation to all your guests. For this type of invitation, an e-mail list will be necessary instead of a conventional, mailing address list.

Some more common ideas are invitations cut in the shape of baby bibs, baby bottles, diapers, and other baby-related shapes. These are simple, classy, and chic, and can be bought in a party store or can be designed by you. Now, you can even buy musical baby shower invitations.

The list goes on and on for creative baby shower invitations. There are no right or wrong ways to invite people to your baby shower. These ideas are sure to make long-lasting memories.

What’s more delightful than shopping for a little girl? Their clothing options are fun, frilly, colorful and feminine. However something happens as they start to grow. Much of the clothing changes from feminine and lovely to borderline inappropriate.

Many fashions designed for young girls are over the top. Blame the media or mainstream media the end result is the same – inappropriate clothing. Are their strategies and resources to help your daughter find the fun and fashionable look she desires while still looking her age?

Of course!

How to Find Fun Fashionable Clothing For Your Young Daughter

Embrace child friendly designers and stores. When shopping with your daughter, steer clear of the mainstream stores which tend to sell the big girl clothing. Smaller boutiques and stores which specialize in clothing specifically for little girls will have beautiful clothing for your daughter to choose from.

Let her choose. Sounds scary right? Let your daughter choose her clothing. We’ll I’m not advising giving them the credit card and setting them free in the store, no matter what their age, however you can give them options. When shopping with your daughter in a store or online, choose a few items you approve of and then let your daughter make the final decision. That way she can exercise her freedom and you can make sure the items meet your approval.

Cultivate her style. Each child has their very own sense of style. In fact, it can be amazing to see what they put together sometimes. Encourage your daughter to find items she likes. Have a discussion about what she likes to wear, why she likes certain items and what colors and fabrics she enjoys. Understanding her tastes will help you choose items more to her liking. After all there’s nothing worse than spending a fortune on clothing that your daughter never wears or worse, stuffs under her bed.

Accessorize. Its the little things that sometimes make us feel the best about our appearance. A headband, a fun pair of tights, a fun bangle or necklace can really help a child feel good about how they look. And if your daughter is a hat wearer then they can really have fun with an outfit.

Be a role model. You set an example for your daughter by the clothing you wear. Moms that wear suggestive clothing will find their daughters emulating them. Of course this doesn’t mean you have to wear pink polka dots and a faux fur trimmed hat however children do take their cues from the adults in their life.

Let go. Fill her closet with items she likes, and you approve of, and then let her have control over what she wears. There will likely be days when she walks out of her room wearing jeans and a flowery dress on top or yellow striped tights and a purple dress, smile and tell her she looks colorful and let her go. Little girls love to experiment with clothing, if youre able to fill her wardrobe with items you approve of then you can relax and let her experiment to her hearts content.

Bright colors, fun fabrics and patterns and a little freedom to choose what she likes will help your daughter to look fun and fashionable while still looking like the little girl she is. Find a few child friendly stores and give your daughter a bit of choice, youll both be glad you did.

If you are looking for quality and affordability, combined with fashion and style, you have come to the right place. The Kid Express line up is the perfect blend, providing you with quality garments for you loved ones at bargain prices. The Kid Express line up covers the clothing needs of all, including babies and kids. Here, at Pure and Honest Kids, you can find the ideal outfit for your new born along with the perfect dress for your little Princess, and all of this can be done in a matter of minutes, saving you time and effort. So be smart and find exactly what you are looking for in the Kid Express Collection through Pure and Honest Kids, bringing you so much more.

Your young lady is just going to love the Kid Express Atelier De La Mode Hooded Poncho Set, after all who doesnt, with its ultra fashionable look and unique embroidery, this Poncho is a must buy. This Kid Express Poncho set comes with a matching pure cotton legging pair, which will be ideal for her, keeping her warm and in fashion. This is a striking design and equally eye catching trend setter, and may be just what she needs to add that little flair to her wardrobe.

Is your son one of those boys who likes taking it easy, and is not really pushed in to anything, including getting dressed up? Well, the perfect way to kick back and take it easy is by getting into one of Kid Express Boys Collections Cargo Bermuda Shorts. Talk about taking it at your own pace, you can be sure he will never be seen out of them, with there cool camouflage print and plenty of pockets, these Bermuda styled shorts are going to be his outfit of choice. Easy to get in and out off, thanks to the elastic waist, you can be sure he is going to want to know where you got these from.

The Kid Express Collection for Girls has some truly amazing and fashionable outfits to choose from, like this Kid Express Bleu Fushsia Top. This top defiantly takes the cake, and is an Kid Express Classic by far. With its sleeveless style and A-line shaped body, the hot pick finish with a layered bird and flower design, this is the ideal top for any baby girl, and she is going to get all the attention in the world because of it. This is a perfect example of how Kid Express is able to blend style and quality perfectly to give you the very best in childrens garments, that too in an affordable price range.

Bring home the super cute Kid Express Bebe Combination Outfit from the Kid Express Baby Boy Collection, and be sure everyone is going to want to see him more in it. This is the perfect daily wear outfit for your baby boy, with its super soft comfort and feel; this is all you need to bring a smile to his face.

So you know where to go the next time you need anything for your childrens wardrobe, its Pure and Honest Kids, giving you more, always.

Although you can never go wrong with a classy, traditional baby shower, cute new trends are emerging that have proven to be successful. From serving strictly fondue lunch or dinner items, to hosting a Hawaiian Luau party, these new baby shower trends and crazes are fun, hip, and exhilarating!

Fondue has become a new trend not only for baby showers, but also for all types of events and socials. Melted cheese with crackers and melted chocolate with fruits are light but filling appetizers that will satisfy cravings. Cheese dip can be melted and served with veggies like broccoli and carrots, along with assorted crackers. Many chocolate fountains are inexpensive and can be used to melt chocolate and serve with fruits, marshmallows, biscotti, and pretzels.

The art of scrapbooking has become increasingly popular over the past few years. So much so, that it has become a popular theme among social gatherings and events like baby showers. In recent scrapbooking-themed baby showers, hosts sent out scrapbook-themed invitations to guests, tying into the theme. At the bash, each guest is given a different baby-themed layout sheet, with supplies like stickers, letters, cutouts, glue, and scissors. The guests then design and decorate the layout sheet for the mommy-to-be. All these sheets can then be put together into an album for the new coming baby. This makes a great memory and keepsake for the expectant mother.

Hula and Luau-themed Hawaiian festivities are now ranked as some of the most popular baby shower ideas of this decade. Luaus can be fun and colorful, yet inexpensive and easy on your pocket. Leis can be given out as souvenirs, and you can play tropical, Caribbean tunes as background music. Fruit platters and fun drinks like Pina Coladas and Strawberry Daiquiris will add to the Hawaiian setting. Luaus are original, entertaining, and can fit any budget. Even on a tight budget, you can impress your guests and seem like you spent a fortune on your baby shower.

Another popular tendency in todays society is to host co-ed baby showers. In past times, baby showers were considered a womens affair, therefore, women were the only ones allowed to participate. Today, that taboo has been debunked, and more women are choosing to allow their husbands and other male members of their family and friends circle to participate. For a long time, men were shut out from being able to take part in baby-welcoming festivities. Now, this has become absolutely normal and even encouraged in North America.

Among all the trends and new practices in baby shower events, the most affordable yet incredibly chic seems to be the contemporary simple look. Classy, clean-cut, and simple dcor shows fine taste and a flair for decorative trends. Today, the predominant style for interior design is contemporary chic, and this look can be accomplished even on a tight budget. If you have a knack for planning and design, coordinating a simple and classy event should be a breeze. These days, the phrase “simplicity rules” is key.

It’s a rare parent who wouldn’t love their child to take piano lessons. We’ve all heard of child geniuses like Mozart who began playing and composing at a very tender age, and who wouldn’t want their little one to have that same opportunity?

While you may be thinking about investing in a piano and lessons for your children, it’s also a big expense. Most people want to be sure they are doing the right thing if they are going to spend the money and that is precisely the point of this article. Here you’ll find a number of reasons piano lessons are beneficial for children.

Boost coordination: In order to make music sound like it should, children will need to have full control over where their fingers go and how they move. As the piano lessons get more complex, they will need to coordinate both hands to play a piece, something that is very useful in other areas of daily living.

Increase math skills: It’s no secret that music and math are connected, but did you know that many children find it easier to tune into music, and then end up being better at math because of it? Piano lessons could easily help your child who is struggling with math in school, though this shouldn’t be the only reason to take lessons.

Language and thinking skills: Music is basically a foreign language. Kids have to translate the strange marks on those bars of music and turn them into a smooth-flowing song. This can actually enhance the area of the brain that processes new languages . . . also easing the way for your little one to pick up another language like French or Spanish in the future.

Sense of pride: Too many children these days have a low self-esteem, so anything you can do to encourage them is great. When a child participates in a piano recital or graduates to the next level of piano books, his self-esteem will also improve. There’s nothing better than seeing a thrilled youngster, with his eyes glowing as he recounts how he won a ribbon for his piano playing.

Develop a lifelong skill: Playing piano is much like riding a bike. When children take lessons while young, they develop musical skills that will last them a lifetime. They may not stick to the piano . . . in fact, many kids end up moving on to other musical instruments with piano as their base instrument. However, you’ll be setting your child up to be successful in musical endeavors forever. Even if he doesn’t become a rock star or a famous pianist, it’s always good to have a skill like this where you can sit down at a party and entertain!

Enhance concentration: With kids these days being diagnosed with ADHD left and right, an activity that not only enhances concentration ability but makes it interesting and a challenge is an activity you want your kids in. Piano lessons will provide that option and while small children might start out with just 15-20 minute lessons and practice times, they will soon be able to practice for longer and longer periods of time, as their attention span lengthens. This obviously has benefits in many areas, not just on the piano.

Piano lessons are an excellent investment. Your child doesn’t have to be a musical prodigy for you to get your money’s worth, though you could end up surprised by his aptitude for piano. There are so many different benefits that make this a worthwhile thing to do for your children that it would be a shame to miss out on it because you don’t think your little one will do well enough.

Enhance concentration: With kids these days being diagnosed with ADHD left and right, an activity that not only enhances concentration ability but makes it interesting and a challenge is an activity you want your kids in. Piano lessons will provide that option and while small children might start out with just 15-20 minute lessons and practice times, they will soon be able to practice for longer and longer periods of time, as their attention span lengthens. This obviously has benefits in many areas, not just on the piano.

Providing you with a completely unique and stylish brand of blankets, Caden Lane has to be your brand of choice, if you are looking for quality and perfection in aesthetic appeal. The Caden Lane Blanket collection may be exactly what your home needs to warm it up, for the arrival of that little someone special. Pick from a variety of themes and colors, here at Pure and Honest Kids, to make everything fall into place.

The Caden Lane Blue Octagon Piped blanket is the perfect blanket of Him. This blanket blends the right amount off style with the element of comfort, and you get a winner as a result of that. This distinctly Caden Lane design, is what you need in your baby boys bed to make him feel special, with the geometric blue octagon print, you can not go wrong with.

Are you more into strips? Well then the Caden Lane Pinstripe Piped Blanket is a blanket you have to have, with its vibrant blue pinstripes, this truly male blanket is durable and simple at the same time. Like is common in Caden Lane Blankets, the blanket is backed with a blue minky finish, which is piped with silky grey satin. This high quality Caden Lane Blanket is made with a 100% cotton front, and a 100% polyester back, making it a great addition to the baby boys nursery.

Like what you see in the twiggy piped blanket? Well it goes perfectly with the twiggy hood that is loved so much by everyone. This blanket is part of the Caden Lane Modern Vintage Collection, staying in the present, yet dwelling in that timeless look at the same time. Giving you that vintage taste of novelty, the Caden Lane twiggy Piped Blanket is what you are looking for, in order to add that final touch to your babys crib. Having a bold and playful print, this Caden Lane blanket is made to provide comfort and warmth to your baby, making sure style is kept in mind.

Looking for something special for the little Princess? Well then the Caden Lane Dark Pink Swirl Ruffle Blanket is all you need. This beautiful blanket is making a statement, the royal pink carpet for your little lady. This Caden Lane blanket is so tempting that, you would want to get into it yourself! Yes, it is really that well designed and comfortable. The Caden Lane Dark Pink Swirl Ruffle Blanket, is from the Caden Lane Luxe Collection, and is an attractive and stylish option to pick, giving your babys nursery the look of desire and enchantment at the same time.

So the next time you think about cozying up the little crib, be sure to pick out a theme and go with it. Try to stay as close to your choice as possible. Have a look at the complete range available, and then decide how you want to go about it. This design is also available in blue for the little boys, so make sure you have a look at the complete variety of Caden Lane products, here at Pure and Honest Kids.