Tip Tuesday: Special PARTY Favor Ideas!

Now that spring is upon us, many people are gearing up for parties of all kinds. Baby Showers, wedding showers, weddings, birthdays, and Easter to name a few spring occasions. And if you are like me, you are looking for party ideas that are original and special for such special occasions.

I was cleaning out the back of my freezer recently and discovered I had saved some packages of M&M's. These were not ordinary M&M's though. These were special packages specifically ordered to be used to celebrate different life events.

I still had some blue and green ones from when my husband proposed to me. I love peanut M&M's, making them probably my most favorite candy. As a back up plan to the carriage ride we took, my husband had ordered directly from the company, M&M's that said (in our favorite colors) "will you marry me" and our initials on them. He then took these and carefully added them to a package of peanut M&M's before skillfully repackaging the bag back together. I was surprised and of course I said, "yes."



The theme stuck. So for our wedding we ordered as part of the cake table, M&M's in our purple and green wedding colors, M&M's to celebrate the special day. Then later on, we again ordered pink and blue M&M's to hand out to the prospective grandparents to tell them we were expecting a baby.



When I cleaned out my freezer, I did finally throw away the M&M's after five plus years. My son snatched a few while I took pictures of them to remember them. The special sentiment though will last forever in my heart and memory.

If you are looking for an original idea to share with someone special, consider customizing your own M&M sayings. Order a short, clean saying in colors of your choice to be shipped to your house for your special occasion. It is easy, fun, and definitely original!

Salvation Sunday: Marriage is Between a Man and a Woman....And Bob VanderPlaats

Yep. I'm getting on my soapbox again. Late last week I heard about Bob VanderPlaats and his marriage vow he's asking Presidential candidates to sign. I read it and then couldn't believe someone would actually sign it. While I agree with a lot of it, I would never sign anything like that.


If you want to read the vow, click here.

But a quick review was provided by the Wall Street Journal," Mr. Vander Plaats's "Marriage Vow" asks signers to agree to 14 policy positions aimed at supporting traditional, heterosexual marriage. They must commit to marital fidelity in their own lives, to oppose the federal recognition of gay marriage, and to fight prostitution, pornography and Sharia law.

Mr. Vander Plaats said he wants the pledges returned by Aug.1 so he can announce who signed, and who didn't, before the state's Ames Straw Poll, a landmark on the presidential nominating calendar. "It's pretty clear cut," he says. "Why wouldn't they sign it?"

I mentioned it on my facebook page and said, "Dear BVP, Your "marriage vow" document does nothing for me. I pledged my faithfulness to my husband in front of family, friends and God. And if it is good enough for the Pope, I think it should be good enough for you. Just sayin."

And I stand by that. While I don't have anything against him, I don't see where Bob VanderPlaats fits in the picture. When I made my vows, I meant them. That should be enough. For me...for any Presidential candidate and for Bob VanderPlaats.