Book Review: Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

I received and read the book Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs compliments of Thomas Nelson. 

Book Details:

• Hardcover: 324 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591451876
• ISBN-13: 978-1591451877

About the Author:

Dr. Eggerich was the senior pastor of East Lansing Trinity Church before deciding to launch his full time mission in helping people achieve healthy marriages.

Dr. Eggerich has a M.A. in communications, a Master's of Divinity and a Ph.D. in child and family ecology.  He and his wife, who joins in the conferences and marital help, reside in Michigan and they have three adult children.   He is the president of Love and Respect Ministeries.
The Review:

The book takes a biblical approach when teaching men and women to understand how a husband and a wife fit together in a marriage.  At first, I had the sense that this was a book that emphasized a need of the wife to succumb to the husband's wishes and commands.  As I kept reading through the different chapters and tests, it became so amazingly clear where he was coming from and how it applied to every marriage. 

Dr. Eggerich has a keen ability to understand the differences in men and women by using such phrases as "blue glasses" and "pink glasses" or "blue hearing aids" and "pink hearing aids."  It was nice reading the excerpts he provided from real couples to see that I wasn't alone in the struggle of making it all fit together and work.  The excerpts validated what he was teaching and showed that the exercises/tests he provides each to do, in fact work.

I ended up taking the principles and used some of the tests and have found that it truly is effective.  I am a believer in this book for anyone.  Whether you are in a relationship or not, the book teaches invaluables aspects of what men and women, in general, crave and need while discussing how you can give to the other while receiving what you need.

The whole concept of love and respect are fully discussed and thoughtfully introduced in a way that opens ones eyes and will lead to a better relationship.

The one thing I would have liked to have seen, is a more of an emphasis of how to handle marriages when there is a breakdown on fairness of household chores/children.  He noted a good example of a wife not wanting to break from doing a chore to sit and watch TV with her husband due to the "to do list" she still has to do.  I think that a lot of marital discord evolves around not only money but how the wife tends to work full time and still tends to the house and children full time.  Perhaps if the "Crazy Cycle" is broken and the wife gives the husband his needed respect, the husband will come around to help more because he will be willing to show more of his love.

All in all, I highly recommend this book!

Amazon readers, 313 in all, gave this book 4.5 stars!

That's a Wrap: Creative Wrap

I tend to focus a lot of this blog on things that make gifts more special and unique and as I have mentioned previously, I always try to make each gift come from the heart.  I search over and over for the perfect presentation to show how much I love and care for the person I'm honoring. 

That's a Wrap has the most incredible display of beautiful ways to wrap that special gift because after all, if you go to the trouble to make the gift heartfelt, you might as well make it beautiful upon giving.

The products range from everything you need to wrap your special gifts.  I'm really amazed at the volume of products they have and how they coordinate them into Gift Kits or you can individually select what you want.

They offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

They have many different containers as well.  Boxes, purses, take out boxes and many other types to choose from.  They also have all the fillers and bows you could ever dream of from tulle to tissue paper and so much more.

On their site, they offer how to's which is great for those that are not Martha Stewart!

Since Christmas really is fast approaching, check out their great supplies.  They range from cookie and wine boxes to bevel gourmet boxes to cello rolls, stockings and all the other gift wrap coordinates.

I really love this shop due to the creativity, the variety and their help in making sure your gift truly is special.

Star Wars Birthday Idea

I decided to go back and post all the different birthday themes I threw over the last 20 years of my girls. This one was a special one to me as everyone in the house, five kids and two adults, like Star Wars and some even LOVE Star Wars. Not only does my family like it, my brother and his daughters are avid fans as well. So when we decided to merge birthdays, it only made sense to have a Star Wars theme.

I'm almost embarrassed to list my handmade invitations given the caliber of the one's that others make out there now but these are what I did a few year's ago. I also bought matching sucker molds as part of the favors and made chocolate figures with matching thank you cards attached to each one.



The birthday cake was easy as I just bought one from Walmart. I'm not that creative YET. I have bought the cake decorating books as I venture into it in my spare time. Being an Army wife keeps me busy on top of the kids and working full time.



The final addition to the theme was a cut out stand up of Obi Wan. The kids loved it and so did my oldest who laid claim to it for her bedroom as everyone knows what a looker he is (younger version of course)!



After playing some games, opening presents and eating cake, I took turns taking pictures of the kids next to Ben for a memory to take home.

Here are some other great party favors from Amazon merchants:



I wished they had a book like this when I was planning my party. Amazon allows you to look at some of the pages and it's GREAT!



Amazingmoms has great ideas for party games.

STAR WARS PARTY GAMES AND ACTIVITIES


Star Wars Badges

Get your guests in the spirit of the latest Star Wars saga with this

fun craft project. Before the party, cut out badges from construction paper. Provide the kids with Star Wars stickers, extra paper, glue,

scissors, glitter, markers, crayons, magazine pictures, etc., and encourage creative expression. During the party, hand out extra badges as favors while playing games. When giving out the badges, honor the kids with special awards, i.e., Best Yoda Impression, Best Team Player, Most Infectious Giggle, or Biggest Smile.

Asteroid Hunt

Purchase small treats or gifts and wrap them in aluminum foil.

Hide them in a sandbox, around the house or in the yard.

At the party, let the children dig in the sand, or search throughout

your “planet” to find their “moon rocks.” The kids will love the excitement of opening their rocks and finding treasures!

Light Saber Training Course

Before the party make some light sabers with foam pipe insulation or

skinny swimming "noodles". Wrap 4-6 inches from the end with colored electrical tape to make a handle. One red, one black, blue etc.

To play, divide the kids into teams to go through a challenge course.

Each team will get one "Light Saber". Create tasks for each potential

Jedi to accomplish (not too hard) with the light saber in hand.

For example:

Hit ping pong balls with the light saber

Crawl under a chair tunnel, go down a slide,

Roll under a tarp

Pop bubbles with the light saber -- you get the idea.

Alien Face Painting

Purchase a set of face paints and give each guest a unique alien “look.”

Let each child make up an alien name for himself or create a few of your own and let the kids draw names randomly. Use movie names or your own, such as “Zork,” “Murblap,” or “Gondar.”

For previous posts on birthday themes, see:

Monkey Theme Birthday Party

Ratatouille Theme Birthday Party

Football Theme Party

Horse Riding Lessons

My middle child loves horses and I wanted to give her an opportunity to try out something new and fun. Although she has epilepsy, I always worry that one of the seizures might occur without warning but I still allow her the chance to pursue her dreams. I was told not to hinder her experiences due to the condition rather guard and protect her.

Watching her on the horse was in incredible experience as I saw this shy, timid girl open up and take directions from her teacher and handle this horse with such control and maturity.

Even her little sister loved what she saw!

If you ever want to try something a little out of the ordinary, try horse riding lessons as it teaches so many different lessons and it's a fun and wonderful experience. If your child has some sort of a disability, there are many programs that cater for special needs children.

Your child can learn either in English or Western style. The extra bonus is they learn how to care for horses as well.

Earlier Children's Horse Riding Book Post

Another Gilt Special: Children's Superga & Children's Alpha Industries Until 9/1

Great deals on Children's Alpha Industries at 50% off until September 1, 2009.

Great deal on Superga shoes for kids at 50% off until September 1, 2009.

Hurry as quantities are limited and they are already sold out on a cute reversible jacket I wanted!

Sprout Organic Baby Food Review

I got on a health kick about a year ago as I was hearing more and more about how bad processed foods were for us. Namely, processed flour and refined sugars. They seem to be a culprit in so many health woes to include obesity. Coupled with that are all the concerns with preservatives and colorings and how they had possible long term implications. Once I started educating myself on the benefits of organic food, I became interested in organic baby food. I was also concerned given the alarming number of news events surrounding various baby products.

At my local Publix, they did have organic baby food much to my surprise. My little one loved it but it was not so convenient as it's frozen. It's nice that they did offer divided portions in little sections but it's hard to try to cut them apart to thaw out. I had little options until now.

I was given the opportunity on The Product Review Place, to try Sprout Organic Baby Food in five different varieties:

1. Roasted Bananas & Mango - my daughter loved this and the aroma was appealing. The texture was consistent with other baby foods but tasted much better. The mixture of different foods enhances the appeal.
2. Peas - I can't really judge this as neither one of us like peas.
3. Sweet Baby Carrots, Apples & Mango - she loves this one and again, the taste and smell was amazing. I had to try it too :)
4. Oatmeal with Roasted Cinnamon Applesauce - I'm an oatmeal fan along with cinnamon applesauce so this was another winner with both of us. I'm very pleased how Sprout takes a number of ingredients to make one great, healthy dish.
5. Baked Sweet Potatoes - again, great! She loved it.

Sprout was co-created by chef and father, Tyler Florence. With his culinary experiences and knowledge, he was able to create recipes that included multiple ingredients to offer a delicious complimentary combination.

What I like more about Sprout, is they set their standards based on Healthy Child Healthy World:

Products must:

• Not be chronically toxic – including not carcinogenic, not reproductive toxic, not endocrine disrupting, not neurotoxic, and not teratogenic
• Not contain toxic dyes
• Not contain health compromising chemicals - including alkylphenols, polyurethane, petroleum distillates, phosphates, chlorine, chlorinated or brominated solvents, petroleum-derived or petrochemical fragrances, parabens, sulfur oxides, organohalides, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (Perc), dioxins and furans, hexavalent chromium, organophosphate pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), 2,4, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4, D).
• Not contain sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, propylene glycol, artificial colors and synthetic fragrances, synthetic preservatives, petroleum-based ingredients, formaldehyde donors.
• Not contain PVC.
• Not contain bisphenol-A (BPA), PFCs, PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ethers)
• Not contain heavy metals – including lead, mercury, cobalt, chromium, nickel, beryllium, arsenic, and cadmium
• Not tested on animals
• Not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

"Most people want to consider the health and environmental effects of the products they buy, but lack the time to research high-quality, non-toxic options." Healthy Child Healthy World

Pro's:

1. Great tasting and healthy.
2. Convenient packaging as they are in pouches that allows you to serve what you need and place it in the refrigerator for later.
3. Catered to children 6 months and older.
4. Not frozen so readily available to use.
5. Pouches that are environmentally friendly (less waste) and less costs to produce.
6. Free shipping on orders of $75 or more.
7. Free Sprout Club membership where the more you buy, the more you save by automatic shipments.
8. Many products are available on Sprout such as food, baby products, books and items for moms.
9. A nice breakdown of common chemicals found in baby products are listed on their website.
10. Created based on year's of research and development.

Con's:

1. Limited availability in stores (select H.E.B., Publix and Central Market) but they are expanding and you can purchase online.
2. A little costly but most organic foods are since you are ensuring your children are digesting healthier, chemical/pesticide free products ($16.65 for 12 pouches).
3. Not available for toddlers.

In summary, I definitely prefer this over any other baby food. I would love to see foods at the toddler stage.

29 Cosmetics Gilt Group Great Special: Ends August 29, 2009 at Midnight

The Gilt Group is having another terrific sale on a high priced cosmetic. There are 19 different 29 Cosmetic products on sale at unbelievable prices until midnight, August 29, 2009. You can also get 29 Cosmetic at Neiman Marcus but not at this price.

Lydia Mondavi is behind 29 Cosmetic which refers to Route 29 in Napa Valley. The products are formulated with grape seed extract which is known for it's anti-oxidant properties. Lydia had previously created skin care products for spas worldwide. She eventually married Robert Mondavi (yes, of the Mondavi wines).

The Gilt Group sells really nice, more expensive items at great prices. Most are usually 50% or more off of retail prices. I have routinely priced items before I purchase to ensure I really am getting a good deal and it's true. The one thing I found with some of these places is the delivery can take sometime so read the terms before purchasing.

Football!

I'm so excited as our family loves football! Mostly I love the Colts and the Patriots and yes, I admit that I am a Tom Brady fan but I prefer Peyton Manning for his football skills. In our house, we all have our favorite teams with my oldest daughter loving Brady but my husband is a Cowboys fan. So that leaves two little one's that get to root for whomever they are preferring at the moment which is usually whoever they are feeling closest to or if they are wanting something.

 

We started this tradition that every year, we get out our team shirts and wear them on the day of game play. We have even went so far to buy the rub on tattoos to match ...well, my husband didn't but my girls and I did.

The shirts I get are usually personalized with our names and they are the lookalike jerseys as the replicas are too expensive. This one shop on Ebay sells really nice shirts that appeal to girls (linked in the pictures at the top). The shirts are rhinestone and look really nice if you want that girly look.

Shindigz has great party supplies all in a theme so it makes it easier to plan. I like Shindigz as they are an Indiana company which is where I am from and lived up until becoming an Army wife. This year we are having a superbowl party so I'll be looking for all the cool and unique supplies.

Cookies by Design has great cookies to add to a football party:

Party 411 has really great invitations that look like ticket stubs. I'll probably make my own on Zazzle as I like to be creative.

The latest Kraft Food's magazine Food & Family has great ideas for game day gatherings. 

The Ritz Cheesy Football is so cute and since the cheese is shaped into a football, the men will love it!   They even have a recipe for a Jell-O football helmet.

The Game Day Football Cake is something that I'll try this year.

Rue La La Great Specials on Philosophy, Movado, Vera Bradley & More

Really great deals at Rue La La if you like Philosphy, Vera Bradley, Movado or Frog's Leap wine. All sales end August 27, 2009 so hurry!

Philosphy is 50%~ off of popular products to include make up sets, acne treatments, anti-aging and many more. I love this line of products!

Check out all the great deals they have going on with a variety of products at half or less!

All You: Limeades for Learning via Sonic

Great alert from All You Magazine:

Help public school teachers—and students—with Limeades for Learning®

When back-to-school time rolls back around, you'll do anything to help your kids get prepared—and this year, you can help their teachers out, too. Take a look at this edition of ALL YOU's Inspired Ideas Newsletter for an easy (and delicious) way to fund classroom projects for public school educators from all across the country: the Limeades for Learning program from SONIC®, America's Drive-In®.

Lend teachers a much-needed hand. Resources and funding for teachers are lessening every day—and SONIC Drive-In wants to help. This September, SONIC will donate more than half a million dollars to public school classrooms in local communities through Limeades for Learning.

Support students who need it most. Limeades for Learning is a program formed in partnership with DonorsChoose.org, an organization that helps public school educators find the materials for classroom projects they wouldn't have funding for otherwise. Requests range from pencils for a poetry-writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class.

Find out what you can do. Your part is simple! Just order any drink at a SONIC Drive-In during September, peel the sticker off your cup to find the drink's unique code, then go to LimeadesForLearning.com and vote for the project you believe will help kids most. You sip, kids learn.

Here's to a successful new school year—for everyone!

As for me, Go Knights!

Wii Fit Game Healthy Giveaway Reminder!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Click here to enter!

Kodak Gallery Great Gift Item: Accordion Greeting Cards

I'm known for coming up with creative and personal gifts at each holiday. This is a task that does not come easy as I spend countless hours researching and trying to think of ideas that will really touch the receiver's heart. I have been successful for many years and I will provide tips and ideas on-going but wanted to provide my insight in a product that I absolutely love and so do others.

Kodak Galleries has the best personalized photo ideas around. Last year, I utilized the accordion style photo cards to give to family members at Mother's Day, Father's Day and a "just because." When my littlest one was hospitalized, I brought in a few of the copies I kept so she could see her sisters and the nurses raved about how great they were and wanted to get them too.

You pick the photos to upload, place them where you want, choose from many styles and Kodak will even ship them directly to the recipient. Kodak has also reduced their shipping charges which is another bonus. Don't forget to always search for coupons online before buying as you can save a lot of money.

When you join Kodak now, they are offering a special of 75 free prints and free shipping.

Great Deal at Beauty.com for Oasis H20

With any purchase at Beauty.com, get this free H20 Oasis Oil Free Hydration System Starter Kit.

Go here for a review by mymakeupreviews.blogspot.

Offer expires September 8, 2009

Upromise and Restaurant.com Special Offer: $2 Certificates Until August 31, 2009

Don't miss the dining deal of the summer at Upromise as they partner with restaurant.com. I wished they had restaurants that participated in this where my family lives so I could take advantage of some cheap gifts.

Get $25 gift certificates for $2!

Plus 15% college savings.

Offer ends August 31, 2009

Kid's Homework Motivator

Last year, my child suffered her first ever seizure. It scared me beyond belief and I was thrown into the uneasy world of epilepsy. Epilepsy can occur at any age but there are thresholds for different types of epilepsy and onset. Luckily for me, there was no known cause for her epilepsy so I was told it was a good thing as it meant no tumor or other serious abnormality. The good news is it looks like it's a form of epilepsy that children outgrow once they hit puberty. So, as each long year passes, only one right now, I have to keep finding ways to treat the symptoms of either the condition or the medicine.

I noted in an earlier blog about how I think replacing her electrolytes has helped. Whether it's with the new brand WAT-AAH! or Aquafina's SMART water or even Gatorade, I'm finding a notable change.

My other issue to conquer has been the need to make homework exciting and to draw out enough energy after a long day at school to complete the massive amount of work they bring home. I had no idea they had to be ready for pre-med by they time they enter kindergarten.

I bought a white erase board and every time she would complete her school work, she received a sticker star (they come easily later). If she did extra work, she received another star for that day. Each Friday, we add up the stars and she gets to redeem those for the amount she earned. In her case, one star equals $1.00.

It was the only way that I could motivate her to keep up with her school work and to try to encourage extra opportunities for learning more. It worked so well last year, I'm using it again this year.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Better Bake Sale House Party: Apply!

What a great idea I Can't Believe It's Not Butter has going on. Apply and help your school, church or other organization.

On September 26th, gather your most altruistic pals and fellow bakers as you get down to business and plan a community bake sale to benefit a local school, charity, or organization of your choice!

At your Better Bake Sale House Party, you'll do the baking while your guests do the tasting. And you'll make your delicious treats even better with new I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Cooking & Baking Sticks. They bake and taste like butter with 50% less saturated fat!* By using I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Sticks instead of butter, you'll reduce the saturated fat in your favorite baked goods without losing the rich flavors every sweet tooth knows and loves.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® will provide exclusive recipes for you to try. You and your guests can choose from this selection of tasty recipes and add your own favorites to the mix. Then it is time to plan your bake sale! Rally for your favorite local sports team, the high school marching band, or a community food pantry or shelter. Whatever cause is close to your heart, you'll organize your Better Bake Sale to raise money to support it while having a great time with friends and family in the process.

If chosen as a host, you'll receive a generous party pack full of goodies to make your Better Bake Sale tasting and planning party a sweet success!

If selected as a host, you will receive:

For the host:

(1) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® apron
(1) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® butter dish
(1) Table top sign for your Better Bake Sale
(5) Coupons for free I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® Cooking and Baking Sticks

For the Guests:

(15) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® eco-friendly tote bags
(15) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® magnetic shopping list for the fridge
(15) Recipe booklets featuring 7 exclusive I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® recipes and a Better Bake Sale Checklist
(15 sets of 5) I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!® coupons for the guest and their friends

Apply now at I Can't Believe It's Not Butter

He Who Sings Last Book Review by Lisa Laird DiRosso & Giveaway!

Congratulations to Demmi!

Thanks to all who entered!

Author: Lisa Laird DiRosso
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Date: July 28, 2009
Pages: 316
Genre: Suspense, crime

I was given the opportunity to read Lisa Laird DiRosso’s debut novel He Who Sings Last. I was eager to read this book as I prefer crime and mystery novels given my background and experience in law. The main character, Jimmy Covelli, is an aging, down on his luck former singer of a popular band from the 80’s. There are many characters that come in and out of the story and the author does a great job in providing a good history on the characters, personalities and the relationships as it relates to the story and each other. One of the main characters, Miranda Madison, a fan of Jimmy’s from the past, provides some reader’s the ability to reminiscent about their teen idols as well as the realization how far some people will go to have love.

Understanding Jimmy’s decline and struggles with aging was easy to relate to as I suspect anyone could feel the pain of losing their youth especially someone who could get any woman in his day. Jimmy’s character is further revealed to have some skeletons in the closet with unexpected twists. Another main character, a police detective named John Vintoni, leads the path to uncover the truth behind a murder that was committed and unsolved in 1983. The author provides a good insight into the minds of Jimmy and Detective Vintoni and how they work against one another. Detective Vintoni is committed and nearly obsessed with solving this crime to the point where you aren’t sure you should feel sorry for him or revel in his need to find justice.

The story centers around Jimmy and his manipulative ways and Detective Vintoni’s pursuit to bring justice to the person who committed the murder 19 year’s ago. I found that there was almost too many details on all the characters but I understood the author’s point with trying to weave them altogether. I tried to anticipate the outcome as I kept reading and particularly enjoyed the very accurate court room dialogue. Given my experience with court rooms, the author was very accurate which made it more enjoyable.

Throughout the latter half of the book, I kept anticipating the who done it answer and was left with an interesting ending! I would recommend this book and if you like Sherlock Holmes type stories, this one has the mystery and the criminal components that keeps you reading to the end.

From Amazon's Product Description:

Just how far will one fan go to prove her loyalty? In her novel He Who Sings Last, Lisa Laird DiRosso expertly knits a blanket of obsession laced with suspicion and murder in a suspenseful crime novel centered on has-been celebrity Jimmy Covelli. He leads a quiet, post-fame existence until some ghosts from his past come back to haunt him after nineteen years, when an unsolved murder case is reopened by a zealous New York detective. Covelli charms and harms wherever he goes, and in his destructive path, he leaves behind a host of resentful family members and brokenhearted fans. Will the detective catch him and be able to prove his guilt? Find out in He Who Sings Last.

Want your own autographed copy?

Submit a comment to this blog and enter to win an autographed copy by Lisa Laird DiRosso!

Giveaway ends September 30, 2009.

Cute Monkey, Bear or Pink Crochet Baby/Kids Hat Giveaway WINNER

Contest Closed:
CONGRATULATIONS TO KATHY!

Kathy, please contact me within 48 hours as I'm unsure how to get in contact with you.

The Preppy Peach Boutique on Etsy has the most adorable handmade hats I've ever seen. After posting my monkey birthday theme project, these adorable hats were a must have.

Lori Jo carries young, fashionable crochet hats for Babies, Kids and Teens. 100% Cotton Hats for Babies & Kids - transitioning into cotton for teens and adults, read each listing carefully since some teen/adult styles are still being made from acrylic yarn.

"I have 30 years of experience in hand crafting, i.e., sewing, hand and machine embroidery, knit, crochet, rubber stamping, sketch, soy tarts/candles."

She has a 100% positive feedback on all 283 responses!

One winner will get to choose one out of the three hats above.

To win:

1. Go to the Preppy Peach Boutique on Etsy and comment here on what other item you would like.

Extra entries:

1. Follow my blog and leave a comment - leave a comment if you already are following.
2. Subscribe to my blog and leave a comment.
3. Follow me on Twitter

Giveaway ends September 20, 2009 at 10:00 pm EST

Winner will be chosen by random.org

Good luck!

Special Thanks to Cynthia at Adorable Baby Clothing

I had to give a special thanks to Cynthia at Adorable Baby Clothing for the two trendy and stylish shirts she sent my daughters! I've had the pleasure of doing business with Adorable Baby Clothing for a couple of years and have never been disappointed in the customer service, prices or quality.

The Halloween costumes are my favorites as my youngest has been the adorable pink bunny rabbit as an infant and last year, the two youngest were matching Cinderella's.

Monkey Theme Birthday Party

Those adorable monkey cookies above can be purchased at http://www.cookiegallery.com/. They added the perfect touch to the monkey themed party.
Birthday Express has pages of monkey themed items ranging from favor boxes to party supplies. The bubble gum machine is the newest addition.

I created the label below and wrapped candy bars and drink bottles after I customized it with the name of the birthday boy. You can copy and paste design below to fit candy bars and drink bottles to have a complete customized party set. Another option is to print on cardstock after reducing the size and purchase the small plastic bags you can get at Michael's for treat bags. Cut, fold over and staple to the little bags after filling with candy.

http://www.paperstyle.com/ has Peeking Monkey birthday invitations that would be perfect to compliment the theme.

For a more personalize approach, www.funandsassydesigns.com has photo monkey invitations.

Don't forget the monkey games and pinata.

Ratatouille Cooking Birthday Party Idea

http://www.zazzle.com/jbranamMy six year old loves to cook thanks to Ratatouille so what better birthday party idea than a cooking party! We started with customized party invitations that I made on Zazzle and bought the matching stamps.

The cake was ordered from a local cake baker who knows how to make terrific looking cakes.

For the party, I bought enough small rolling pins for each of the guests and had an assortment of pizza toppings (not all shown). I had two kitchen stations set up and bought pre-made frozen pizza dough from Publix.

When the girls arrived, they went to the first station which was to decorate their aprons with their names using self-adhesive foam letters all purchased from Oriental Trading Company along with the paper, tall, adjustable chef hats which the girls really liked. I bought the multi-color aprons in case any boys showed up. We put their spelled out names in baggies and set each one up at an apron upon their arrival. When they entered, there was a large Ratatouille posted hanging to make it look like a cafe.

The decorations were purchased at Birthday Direct.

They then took their place at one of the tables and made their pizza. While the pizza was cooking, they dipped pretzels in chocolate and laid them on wax paper to cool and they frosted their own cupcakes.

Each girl received a favor box of Ratatouille goodies and a box for their customized cupcake.

After we ate, we sang happy birthday, had cake, opened presents and busted open a pinata. It was a success!