Halston and Hasbeens and Harems, oh my! Wise and avid gals this way, please!

[PlumSykes]

Wonder how quickly we'll fill this one?

Although would have to abstain. Took delivery of Vanessa Bruno skinny belt today. Realised needing to be skinny doesn't just refer to the belt...

OWW - no, the book we had was the older edition of this. My sister found me the olde original edition and sent it to me when we told her I was pregnant w DD. Clever cookie knew that all Aussie mums need an AWW birthday cook book!

Marsha - my heart sinks even further after a quick squizz of that blog.

they're not though - that's the beauty of the AWW books - I have no artistic talent whatsoever but they take you step by step through the whole thing with the help of a lot of buttercream and skewers

I have these 2:

Little Party Cakes, in which you'll find the peacock

and this one that includes the pirate ship

Bunny - parties round these parts consist of Nigella's party food (slavishly copied from How to Eat) and plenty of prosecco and separate cake for the parents.

Thankfully DS1 will be having an outdoor adventure organised by a small local company for only 6 of his friends. All I'll need to provide is a cake.

I know Bunny, they look simple-ish in design but I bet they are hard to do as well as that blog...

oh the LA dress is v.nice!!

and blossom - your fringe looks fabulous. You and dd both look lovely

Ds1 is over Easter. I do do loads of food for parents and children. It's in our house (I always prefer it). 12+ children and parents. I am mad!

But quite looking forward to it. All the silliness and laughing children - very sweet. Just don't go near the curtains!

Golly Marsha you are brave.

DS1's last party was a joint one with his friend and we had about 40 odd children and parents so hired local village hall and bouncy castle - fun but utterly exhausting.

I always over invite as his birthday is mid-august assuming everyone will be on holiday but oh no. Luckily now he's in yr1 the parties seem to be smaller.

Yy most hire a hall in his reception class. There are only 16 other children in his class so not too bad.

Have scaled back on cousins and friends (see them another time).

Did have an entertainer booked but he could only do a day when everyone was on their Easter hols. So had to change date and now down to me and dh, we have some stuff (wooden beads, card planes etc) coming hopefully will keep children busy. Eek!

Oh, and on a serious note, the mums at playgroup were talking re school age children's birthday parties and how you need to either invite all their class or post invites if being selective. The poor little ones who don't get invited! DH has been told he needs to learn to entertain many, MANY children as couldn't not invite all of Delie's class.

Back to style and beauty - Blossoming, you and your little one look fantastic!

Found it!! this is the ye olde original AWW birthday cook book! Think I will get the new one, too, for PFB Delie. Right, back to adminarama while babysitter looks after Delie...

Those cakes are amazing. Poor DD will have to make do with shop bought, I love cooking but hate baking.

Blossoming, lovely photo of you and your DD.

I have ordered the LTEC/Urban Outfitters navy combats, can't go wrong at that price!

I think I need a 'relaxed blazer'. Maybe in navy. Would this be wrong?

Bunny - our school insist if its not all the class then invites have to be posted.

It is raining here and cold and I am sooooo bored of wearing winter clothes. I want to wear my spring stuff - stamps foot.

In fact I can't even be bothered to buy anything as it will just languish in my wardrobe until this weather cheers up.

The thought of the 3 weeks school holidays for easter if weather doesn't perk up is making me feel very gloomy.

Thanks for your positive comments Tracey, LTEC and BM. Did I mention I'm wearing lipgloss again for the first time since 2002! Another 'fringe benefit'!
I dread children's parties. When I first moved back home I couldn't believe that parents were dropping their kids off at parties and then leaving. Is that normal for 3 yr olds? I've just had family parties since, but fear dc1 is going to want the whole bouncy castle bit this year.

Hello,

Have been busy working or taking the kids out to make the most of the sunshine so haven't been around for a few days.

Back with a vengence now though... have ordered £125 of clothes from Tesco! And at Tesco prices, that's a lot of clothes. Will report back when they arrive if any of them are any good.

I am utterly terrified at the party pressure. DD only just started at playschool this year so this is all new to us. So far, we've only had family gatherings with tea and home-made cakes!

Dropping and leaving 3 year olds is not usual in my experience.

Fleecy - how exciting - fingers crossed the clothes are good.

LTEC I have a navy blazer

drop and leave - no way!!!

okay - off to do the nursery run - if anyone could show me any suitable navy blazers, I'd be most grateful

I have an ancient jigsaw navy linen mix blazer and love it.

In fact am waiting to wear it with breton top and denim mini as per some model i saw in some magazine. Because obviously - I'll look just like that

I also fancy a white jacket - oh yes because that will work so well with my dc's.

One of the easiest parties I've done is one at the local playground - DS1 has an August bday so fine re weather. We made it a pirate party - hid some treature (bottles of bubbles and chocolate money) in the sandpit there, kids decorated some cupcakes whilst sat on a picnic table which we then put on a ELC pirate ship - that was the bday cake - and just let them run around on the swings/slides etc. Had it at 10am on a Sun so it was quite quiet. The Dutch dont seem as fussed about having parties - just have 3/4 friends to do something like go to the local zoo. My sister also found a local childrens farm that hosted parties and gave the kids a tour round the animals - that was fun too and not too expensive. I also don't bother with party bags - last year just gave a cute tube of pencils wrapped up like a cracker along with some cake! (insert tight mummy smiley!).

I was at one party where over half the parents had left when one boy started choking on his food. No one knew where his parents were, it was just awful.
Right, school run and picking up my nephew too. Am going to require plenty of count to tens before the afternoon is out.

Something like this LTEC from M&S or something longer?