Planning a Bodacious Baby Shower

So... one of my besties here is almost ready to pop with her first nugget! I am so excited! I get to be an Auntie (by location default, of course).

Several months ago a couple of her good friends and I decided that we would throw her a bodacious baby shower - or at least try to. Well, now the day is almost here (tomorrow) and I am stressing!! I want everything to be perfect! It's her first baby after all... you don't get baby showers after the first one, do you??

I just keep imagining what I would want my baby shower to be like and I'm hope, hope, hoping that we are giving our friend the shower she deserves and wants!!

So... although there is not much time left... I would love your opinions on whether or not we are on the right track.

Location: Chez moi... in our basement... where the fireplace is. We have 2 couches, 2 arm chairs, 2 ottomans, and countless other random chairs for gals to sit in. There is also a bathroom on that floor so no need to go upstairs.

Time: 2 pm.

Decorations:
Baby Shower banner hung above the fireplace
Shiny foil Baby Shower banner hung across the big screen TV
Mummy-To-Be gets to wear a sash that reads... you guessed it... MOM-TO-BE

Theme:
She is not finding out the sex of her baby so I went with a Noah's Ark, multi-color theme. We have Noah's Ark plates and napkins and cups... as well as plates, cups and napkins in pale yellow. That's gender neutral isn't it?
I bought a green tablecloth because her nursery is painted green. The invitations were also designed with her nursery's color in mind.

Menu:
Build-your-own sandwiches with a choice of turkey or ham, white or wheat cocktail buns and Colby cheese.
I'll put condiments in little dessert bowls so people can choose what they want.
Tortilla chips and queso.
Veggie tray.
Fresh, air-popped popcorn using SuperFutureDad's movie-theater-type popper
Crackers, pretzels and cheese
Fruit pizza
Cake - chocolate with chocolate frosting decorated with same green as her shower. It reads: "Oh, baby! Congrats, (her name)!
Candy - placed into hurricanes for easy grabbing

Drinks:
Box 'o Wine
Bottle of champagne
Fruit Punch

Games:
I am not in charge of games but I think we are planning on having 2 different games. The traditional melted chocolate bar in diaper game... I think a microwave is involved.
And a 'guess the M&M count' game. Her friend filled baby bottles with green and brown M&M's (again, her nursery colors) and whoever guesses the correct amount of candy wins the bottle as a party favor.

Whew!!! I think that's it. We are expecting about 25 people. If you have any suggestions of how we can pull this off better, I'm all ears.

Question (of the day/of the month)

Help! My laptop is dying a slow, painful death. Right now, it's wheezing like it needs a tracheotomy. I can not - repeat, can not - live without a 'puter. It must be portable (laptop), have long battery life, have lots of room for music and photos and be easy to navigate and store my writing. So...

What computer would you recommend for someone like me?

Obviously price will always be an issue, but I'm trying to not let that dictate my choice. My above-listed requirements are much more important. I really look forward to your feedback on this one!

It's a Procreation Vacation!

Howdy doo world wide web highway neighbors! It's a great day isn't it? It's cold as heck here, a massive spring flood is just around the corner and I've got to return to the 9-5 today (although it's more like 12 - 10:30 pm).

But you know what, all sarcasm aside, life is good. March Madness is on its way, I've got holidays scheduled for April, a rockin' concert to see in June and an indoor soccer league that is starting up soon!

Yippee!!

Oh! And one other thing - I'm making my debut as a guest writer on The Vacation Gals!

My first post is up - it's all about me and SuperFutureDad's version of a babymoon!

You can check it out here! I hope you like it.....

Proof Positive

Gosh - it's amazing that making a simple choice could yield such massively positive results.

A while ago I wrote this piece, about my efforts to live my life like I've always imagined. And by that I mean, being a good person. Not great. Not excellent. Just good. Simple. Honest. Open.

I talked of what I thought I already did well in life and the things I'm pretty poor at doing.

My intention of writing this down was to make myself accountable. To myself. To my husband. To my family and friends. To the people who have so lovingly allowed me into their lives. And the rewards (unforeseen at the time), reinforce why this is the best life goal I could have ever set for myself.

I am seeing more of my gal (and guy) pals than ever before and we are all taking active efforts to be more involved in each other's lives. We have set up a dinner party group, gone out for a birthday bowling bash and even attended a different kind of party. I feel like a better friend and am so happy to know how my friends are doing in their lives - the good and the bad.

I am answering emails in a more timely manner, something I've been terrible at doing in the past. This has lead me to great volunteering opportunities reading to elementary school kids and a few new writing opportunities. Both things make me feel really happy.

I am noticing there is a time and a place for swearing. I will always, ALWAYS, have a sailor's vocabulary, but dropping an f*bomb while reading to kindergartner's is not something I want to be known for. However, I must say a massive thank you to this morning's first grade teacher for having a laugh with me when my Tommy Boy ring tone went off in class. Luckily, I reached it before it got to the dickhead part.

SuperFutureDad and I are saying things like 'please' and 'thank you' and 'I love you' more. That feels GREAT!!! Politeness goes a looooonnnnngggg way when dealing with the ones you love and they deserve graciousness and gratitude as much as - if not more than - the stranger for whom you open the door.

My world is still black and white but I'm trying to choose to ignore the things I can't change. This doesn't happen everyday but when it does, it's liberating. No toxic-energy for me! As tiara-wearing Julia Mancuso stated during the Olympics, 'save the drama for your mama.'

All of this being said, I am still a work in progress. That's life, eh? You live, you learn. You try to be good.

But if I find you putzing around the left lane forcing me to pass you on the right, I will still give you the bird. You deserve it.

State of Mind

Hey all - Big News!! 

I'm making my debut as a writer for a new Web site this week. It's called The Vacation Gals and it offers expert advice on family travel, girlfriend getaways and romantic escapes. I believe my post will be up on Wednesday, but I'll let you know for sure! 

SuperFutureDad has read and signed off on it, so I hope you will like it, too!

Meantime, check out my state of mind... what's yours??

Current read: sticking with Kathy Reichs... this time going with Grave Secrets. Seriously, if you like mystery and crime novels - or the TV show 'Bones' - you will LOVE her books.

Current TV Show Obsession: The Inbetweeners 

You. Must. Watch. This. Show.

Current Song Addiction: Live Like You Were Dying by Kris Allen... I'm not one to watch American Idol and I won't start because of this guy but he almost makes me want to... almost.

Current Movie Obsession: Inglorious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino. Yup... finally hopped on that bandwagon.

C