A LABOR DAY SHRIMP BOIL!

Need to feed a crowd on Labor Day? Head over to Skip to My Lou and check out her shrimp boil - including a printable shopping list and instructions! Enjoy!

PARTY FOOD: GRILLED VEGETABLE PIZZA

As we all prepare to spark up the grill for Labor Day weekend here in America, it occurred to me that unlike Memorial Day when everyone is itching to indulge in the grilled hot dogs and hamburgers that they have been deprived all winter, by Labor Day everyone has really had their fill. But it does seem a bit of a missed opportunity not to cookout this weekend given that these warm clear days of summer are numbered. Then I remembered this fantastic pizza that I have made a few times when it was too warm to use the oven but we were tired of the same old same old on the grill. The recipe is from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine, which means that you aren't tempted to run screaming after you read it and you don't need to travel to remote locations in Asia for the ingredients. Yes, I know it says Martha Stewart, but Everyday Food is different. I promise. So celebrate Labor Day the way it was meant to be celebrated: with as little work as possible. Whip up a couple of these pizzas and relax. Yes I know it says Martha Stewart, but trust me!

THINGS I LOVE: SLEEP ANGELS

 To say that I love these sleep angels is the understatement of all understatements. Just the thought of these beautiful little bits of happiness makes me absolutely giddy! Seriously, I'm grinning from ear to ear right now. So, what are sleep angels? They are small linen dolls that are hand embroidered with the sweetest and most delicate detail and are then filled with polyfill and dried lavender flowers grown in none other than Provence. Each angel is lovingly made by Apol, a lovely and gracious French woman who has a gift for adding that special touch that turns everything she makes into the most special thing that you will ever own.

My two oldest children adore their sleep angels and have them by their side each night. And in the morning when I straighten their beds, the scent of lavender is amazing! Apol's beautiful work has even inspired me to grow my own lavender. I'm not sure what I'll do with it other than watch it grow, but it makes me happy just knowing it's there.

My dream - pun totally intended - is to have a sleepover birthday party for one of my children and present each guest with a sleep angel just before they all quietly drift off to sleep exactly as scheduled at 9 pm.  Hey, I said it was a dream right? But what an unbelievable party favor! Truly a one of a kind gift. Can't you just picture them peeking out of Christmas stockings everywhere?

You can purchase sleep angels and all kinds of beautiful things handmade by Apol at her Etsy shop Lapomme. But if you're on my gift list, don't browse too much. I've done some shopping recently and I don't want you to find your surprise!

AND THEY CAME HOME WITH SMILES...

But you'll have to take my word for it with Pumpkin. He rushed in to do homework so he could be head back out for football. Petunia, however, was more than willing to pause for a quick pose.

FIRST DAY

Enjoying the quiet, but missing the chaos.

OPERATION NICE

A little nice goes a long way. That is the philosophy of Melissa who has started a blog called Operation Nice. She has even designed these amazing postcards and little notecards available for download on her website so that we can all spread the nice. If you need a little pick me up or have a story to share, it is definitely worth the trip over to Operation Nice. It will restore your faith in humankind and have you itching to change the world with one bit of Nice at a time.

PARTY BANNERS

I just loooooove party banners, don't you? They are the epitome of festive and fun. I also love how the British call them buntings. I don't know why, it just makes me happy. (It is the British that use that term, isn't it? Or am I making that up?) Anyway, here are two fun and very different banner tutorials that are perfect to make on your own or with your littles. One from mayamade, as pictured above.

The other from the small object. Happy Bunting!