Birthday Express Review & GIVEAWAY!!

I was really excited to find out that we were going to be reviewing a Deluxe Party Pack from Birthday Express.  I love birthday parties and I really enjoy putting on a nice party for my kids but facts are, they are work.  Between running here and running there for party supplies, food and gifts I can get a little worn out.   So, that is why I was so glad to be using Birthday Express for Computer Girl's 7th Birthday!  I have to tell you this was one of the easiest parties that I have ever put together, Birthday Express made it so simple for me. 

I had Computer Girl go online and search through all the party themes and pick her favorite.  There were lots to choose from but she picked Zoology because she LOVES animals.  Her box arrived just a few days later.

The Deluxe Party Pack included:

• 8 Invitations
• 8 Dinner Plates
• 8 Cups
• 8 Forks
• 8 Spoons
• 8 Activity Placemats
• 16 Napkins
• 1 Solid-Color Table cover
• 1 Centerpiece
• 1 Foil Balloon
• 18 Balloons (3 colors)
• Crepe Paper Rolls (3 colors)
• Curling Ribbon (3 colors)
• Confetti and Cake Candles

It was a like a party in a box, minus the kids of course.  Computer Girl was so excited when her box arrived, and so was I!  It was so nice to have everything ready for the party all in one box.   

  

Birthday Express offers oodles of choices for party themes, some themes you can even get personalized with a photo and saying.  You can buy things separately or in a Deluxe Party Pack (starts at $38.99).  They also have games, favor boxes, pinatas, and they even offer personalized banners.  They are a one stop party shop, that delivers! 

We also received a personalized party banner and WOW!  I could not believe how nice it was!  The colors and details on the banner really amazed me.  It was very nice hanging up and will be a great keepsake from her party.   

Isn't this a beautiful banner!  The colors really pop.

  

The decorations all coordinated and looked great!

The table looked great too.  I was able to find beanie stuffed animals on sale, which we tagged and used as place cards and the kids got to take them home.

Here is what the place settings looked like.

Happy Birthday Computer Girl!

I decided I was not making the cake so we ordered a Madagascar cake, that was the closest thing to a "zoo" cake that we could find.

One of the games we played was musical chairs and we used animal music of course.

I just had to include this picture of the boys, evidently they did not have enough cake the first go round!

Thanks Birthday Express for helping us have an AWESOME party!

Birthday Express has offered to GIVEAWAY a Deluxe Party Pack of YOUR CHOICE to one of YOU!!  Please leave a SEPARATE COMMENT for each way that you enter and PLEASE DO NOT FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!  The giveaway is going to run until November 19, 2010.  Here is how you can enter to win:
You must be a Follower of LSG to Win! Please leave me a comment and let me that you do.

• If you have just become a new Follower, please tell me how you heard about this giveaway.
• SPREAD THE WORD! If you blog about this giveaway, please come back and leave me a link to your post.
• Please visit the Birthday Express website, and let me know which Party Theme your kids would like!
• Facebook or Twitter about this giveaway and leave me a comment to let me know about it.
• Like Birthday Express on Facebook and let me know about it.
• Follow Birthday Express on Twitter and let me know about it.

These products were given to us free of charge from Birthday Express for review purposes.  We were not paid in any way and the opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Wikki Stix Winner

The Wikki Stix Giveaway Winner is comment #38


Martianne said...

Just blogged about your givewaway


http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2010/11/giveawat-news-wikkistix.html


Thanks to everyone that entered! 

Chicken Stuffed Shells

My aunt gave me this recipe many years back and it has been a family favorite ever since.  The kids LOVE it and it is actually The Lil Chef's all time favorite meal. 

 

Since stuffing jumbo shells are involved this isn't exactly a speedy meal, BUT it is well worth the extra effort and a great thing to double and freeze. 

 

Chicken Stuffed Shells

• 1 Box of Your Favorite Chicken or Cornbread Stuffing
• 1 Box of Jumbo Shells
•  About 2 cups of Cooked Chicken , shredded.  You can use either breasts or thighs, I prefer thighs. 
• 1/2 Cup of Mayo
• CranRaisins (optional, but very good)
• 2 cans of Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup (the Healthy request is MSG Free, to my knowledge)
• 1 cup of Milk
• Salt & Pepper

Follow the cooking instructions on the Jumbo Shells package.  After you drain them add a little olive oil to them, these babies are famous for sticking and sticking equals broken shells.  Set a side.

 

Cook the stuffing according to the package.  Add the already cooked shredded chicken, mayo and Cran-Raisins to the stuffing.  Stuff your shells and place them in a greased 9X13 casserole dish.

 

In a separate bowl mix up the 2 cans of soup and 1 cup of milk.  Add salt and pepper as desired, then pour over your stuffed shells.  Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until warm. 

 

I always serve this with Cranberry Sauce and Green Beans, it is like a mini Thanksgiving Dinner!  Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday

I love when we get back into fall comfort foods.  I start switching over to fall foods a little while back and then it got hot again.  I think it is safe to do soups, chili's and stews again as the weather seems to be getting colder.  Here is what we are cooking up this week...

Monday
Chicken with Cream Cheese over Brown Rice and Broccoli on the side

Tuesday
Stuffed Pepper Soup (with Ground Turkey) - My MIL has been talking about Green Pepper Soup fora while now and I am not sure I have ever made it so when I came across it I decided to give it a go.

Wednesday
Homemade Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper - I tried this a few weeks ago and The Hubs has asked for it every week since.

Thursday
Sausage, Peppers and Onions (Crock pot) over Rice with Mixed Veggies

Friday
Chicken Fajitas with Black Beans, Corn and Melon

Saturday
Homemade Pizza

Sunday
Spaghetti

If you all are wondering why I am mostly sticking to the same old stuff, well I had a talking to by the The Hubs. He prefers that I make the same old stuff that I know they like, in other words he would rather not be so adventurous in the food department. While I do try to throw in a few new recipes here and there I am trying to not add more than one or two.  

Do you have any family favorites that you think The Hubs would like?  Anything homemade that resembles Hamburger Helper or Sloppy Joe's would do.

O Come, O Come Emmanual

by John M. Neale

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Refrain

  
I have loved this song for several years.  Last week I was blessed to sit in and listen to my oldster daughter's choir group practice it and the choir teacher explain it to the kids.  I am so thankful that I, through Jesus Christ, have victory over the grave.  My body will die one day but because of Christ I will worship Him for eternity. 

You can listen to the song here.