Well Y'all, I survived

I did indeed survive the spa slumber party.

It was so much fun.

I am going to share a few of the pictures

and you will see more for Tablescape Thursday!

Here are the favors as we were putting them together

each girl had a purple box with the above items.

The Letters of their first name are magnetic and can be put anywhere.

Y'all didn't really think there wouldn't be monograms did you?

 I mean you do remember my potty, right?

OK back to the party..

We had favors for the parents as well...

They were filled with candy

and a little note thanking them for letting their daughters come

 with our phone number on it.

The girls had so much fun making pizzas, facials, mani/ pedis, and singing.

Water ballon fights, pranks on the first one asleep, and girl secrets.

They had a "champagne" toast to the Princess

Our house was filled with giggles and mischief until 6 AM!

It was one of the most precious events, I wish you could have all been here!

Be sure to stop back by Thursday to see the tablescape!

Thanks for dropping by Y'all

My Princess turns 11 today!

11 years ago today, I became a Mommy.

My heart is so full as I write this.

 It happens every year.

 I guess it is because she is my first, my little girl.

Her milestones are precious to me, yet they break my heart.

 I see myself in just a few short years chasing after her

 as she breezes through our home and off again with her friends.

Or as she rushes past me to answer the phone call of her latest beau.

With each passing birthday I realize my time with her is shorter and shorter.

While I cannot wait for her to experience all that this life has in store for her,

my prayer is that part of her will always want to be my little princess.

As I sit here in front of our roaring fire, staring at that gorgeous creature asleep in her sweatpants, I praise God that he chose me to be her mother.

 My tears are not tears of sadness, well not completely.

They are of an unselfish love for another, I never knew was possible before her.

We will celebrate today by hosting 6 tween girls to spend the night.

Yes, I have lost my ever loving mind.

It is to be a spa party.

Facials, mani/pedis, and karaoke.

Pizza, cake and ice cream, and tons of girl talk!

So as 7:44 PM precisely ticks by

 it will be 11 years to the moment that precious creature took her first breath. (emergency c-section 2 months early)

As I recall the fear I was going through at THIS very moment,

I am driven to my knees again praising God for his blessings.

The 34 hours prior to her arrival

 were some of the most terrifying I have ever been through.

Yet, I wouldn't trade any of those

 122 400 seconds for what we have with her.

So................

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRINCESS

we love you and

we are so very proud of you.

Thanks for dropping by Y'all!

National Champions and a snow day!

You may purchase one of these

Waterford Crystal Footballs

from Bromberg's

Our Alabama Crimson Tide won the

National Championship last night!

We are so pleased.

The excitement here was tremendous

and there was a thunderous roar of Roll Tide!

Way to go

Of course we celebrated with game day food.

Yesterday was also a snow day for us.

What blessings!

National Championship and snow!

We spent the day inside playing

The Prince adores his rocket ship

and roasting marshmallows for Italian S'mores

that is what The Princess loves.

I am sorry that I didn't do Foodie Friday this week.

There was just so much going on.

Next Week I promise.

Don't forget to sign up for the contest.

 See the sidebar for details.

Thanks for dropping by Y'all!

Tablescape and a giveaway

Thank you to Susan for hosting Tablescape thursday again!

I just have a small tablescape to share this week.

It is the brunch table we had New Year's Day

 while vacationing in Gatlinburg, TN

Now for a GIVE AWAY!!

My precious friend from High School has a new product

it is a  protective baby cover.

This product will shield your precious cargo from the wind, rain, and cold!

I would have loved to have had this with my children!

She has been featured in modern parent magazine

She has graciously agreed to give one, to one of my lucky readers !!!

m o d e r n p a r e n t s m a g a z i n e

Breathable cotton cover is great while baby is hanging out or in transit.

The water resistant cover is for transit use only to protect baby

from snow, rain, and wind penetration.

Front flap covers a mesh section. The flap can be rolled up and

velcroed to top to see baby.

Cover can be put on and taken off while carrier is in base in the

car to protect baby from various weather conditions.

Product is perfect to use in doctor’s offices, malls, and outside

events like ball games, camping, etc.

The cover keeps bugs out, and it is great protection against mosquitoes.

It keeps light rain and wind off of baby. The baby’s eyes are shielded

against bright sun.

The cover acts as a filter to keep airborne germs off of baby while in

public, which helps prevent flu germs from getting to baby. Also keeps

people from transferring germs by not being able to touch or kiss the baby.

The cover fits most carrier/car seats, and larger ones can

be special ordered.

Perfect gifts for newborns, especially premature babies.

Mom-invented. I thought of the idea 14 years ago with my first

pregnancy. When I was pregnant with my third child 11 years

later, I went shopping for such a cover and could not find anything

like it on the market.

Patent-Pending CPSIA compliant

Made in USA

Available for individual sales on website now until Feb 2010, after that

boutiques and shoppes will carry it.

Can be purchased at Boutiques listed on website and online until Feb 2010

http://www.berrygoodsbaby.com/ (504) 302-3779

Protective Carrier Cover
If you order be sure to let her know Bama Belle sent you!

The rules are simple.

You need to be a follower ( you do not have to have a blog to be a follower)

and comment on this post to let me know you would like to be entered.

You will need to include contact info in case you are the winner!

You will get another chance if you post on your blog and link back to the contest.

This is a perfect gift for an expectant Mommy or new addition!

So sign up contest ends on the 14th!

Winner will be announced after random drawing

on Friday, Jan 15th

Be sure to stop by and see more tablescapes at Susans

Between Naps on the Porch!

It is Twelfth Night and the start of Mardi Gras!

What is all this you ask?

Twelfth Night : according to Wikipedia

"Twelfth Night is a festival in some branches of Christianity marking the coming of the Epiphany and concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas.

It is defined by the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking".[1] However, there is currently some confusion as to which night is Twelfth Night:[2] some count the night of Epiphany itself (sixth of January) to be Twelfth Night

Food and drink are the center of the celebrations in modern times, and all of the most traditional ones go back many centuries. The punch called wassail is consumed especially on Twelfth Night, but throughout Christmas time, especially in the UK. Around the world, special pastries, such as the tortell and king cake are baked on Twelfth Night, and eaten the following day for the Feast of the Epiphany celebrations. In English and French custom, the Twelfth-cake was baked to contain a bean and a pea, so that those who received the slices containing them should be designated king and queen of the night's festivities.

In colonial America, a Christmas wreath was always left up on the front door of each home, and when taken down at the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, any edible portions would be consumed with the other foods of the feast. The same held true in the 1800s - 1900s with fruits adorning Christmas trees. Fresh fruits were hard to come by, and were therefore considered fine and proper gifts and decorations for the tree, wreaths, and home. Again, the tree would be taken down on Twelfth Night, and such fruits, along with nuts and other local produce used, would then be consumed.

Modern American Carnival traditions shine most brightly in New Orleans, where friends gather for weekly King Cake parties. Whoever gets the slice with the king, usually in the form of a pink plastic baby doll, hosts next week's party."

For details and parade schedules in New Orleans for Mardi Gras

be sure to visit

Mardi Gras 2010

 My favorite Krewe

(a secret personal connection,

you know there are many secrets

 about memberships and such in the Krewes!)

Bacchus

is pairing with my favorite NFL team

Drew Brees will be

Bacchus XLII

This ball is my favorite as well.

As you know growing up in New Orleans I still am so connected to this magical city!

We still celebrate Mardi Gras here at the Blog Plantation no matter where it happens to be located!

I am off to prepare our wassail!

Thanks for dropping by Y'all!

We are back!

What a blessing we had as my family gathered in Gatlinburg, TN to ring in the new year. It is family tradition that we all celebrate by spending  that holiday together.

My mother always told us she did not care what holiday we spent elsewhere

as long as we came home for New Year's Eve and day.

Once my brother and I were married with our own families,

it certainly simplified where we would travel for other holidays!

Over the past few years the tradition grew into a destination weekend.

We have spent them at Chateau Elan; we have spent them in CO snow skiing; we have been to the beach and then this year we spent it in Gatlinburg, TN

 Looks like next year will be in North Carolina or a cruise.

We had a gorgeous chalet, good fellowship, and food.

 Here are a few pictures

Thank you for reading and joining me post after post.

I am excited about things to come for my family in 2010

 and about the things you and I will share here in blogland.

Thank you for your friendship and thank you for your love.

Be well!

Thanks for dropping by Y'all!

See you in 2010

The Blog Plantation continues to be on a blogging break as we celebrate the Holidays.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you!

See you in 2010