It's time for a Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

So it’s almost that festive time of the year: Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican victory festival observed by Mexican-American communities and primarily in Puebla, Mexico. This day celebrates patriotism, unity and Mexican heritage.

Why not have a little celebration with your kids, they will love it! Here are some of our family favorites!

Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe Haas avocados
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro,leaves chopped
• 1/4 medium red onion, diced
• 2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded and finely diced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• salt and pepper freshly ground, to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut the avocados into halves and remove the seeds. Peel the fruit and place in a mixing bowl.

2. Have kids mash avocados with a potato masher or fork until chunky. (Good luck stopping them from mashing into a thin paste!) They can add the remaining ingredients (after grown-ups have chopped the jalapeños) and mix with a fork

Photo credit above:american feast dot com

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo crudités

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and get your kids to eat their veggies with healthy crudités in the colors of the Mexican bandera nacional, or national flag.

Ingredients

• Pea pods or green beans
• Jicama, cut into strips
• Red pepper
• Green pepper
• Orange pepper

Instructions

1. Arrange pea pods, jicama sticks, and red pepper strips on a platter as shown, then center a green pepper ring and the bottom of an orange pepper on top.

2. Set out your snack with dips in the same festive colors: green guacamole, white ranch dressing, and red salsa.

above photo credit from: Family fun

In Seattle WA there is a wonderful bakery called Trophy's and in the past they created a cupcake in honor of the holiday it's the Margarita Cupcake, a Lime Cupcake made with lime zest, fresh lime juice and lime oil topped with tequila and lime Buttercream and finished with candied lime zest and salt.Yum! I wonder if Trophy ships to DC...

above photo credit from: trophy cupcakes

For your Cinco de Mayo celebration, why not make your own pinata to add to your festive decor? Making a pinata is a great craft to do with the whole family. With just a few simple supplies and a little imagination, you’ll have a beautiful pinata in no time. Hang it up in the backyard or the park for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. The kids will love it! Here’s how to make it:

Materials:

2 cups flour
3 cups water
1 balloon
Newspaper, cut into long inch strips
Paint, crayons, or markers
Colored crepe paper
String

Directions:

1. Blow up a large balloon and tie the end

2. Mix the flour and water together until it makes a smooth paste

3. Dip the newspaper strips into the flour and water mixture

4. Carefully place the strips on the balloon until it is covered, leaving a hole at the top

5. Set aside and let the balloon dry

6. After the it feels pretty dry, place another layer of newspaper dipped in the mixture over the balloon and let dry again

7. Put one more layer of paper on the balloon – be sure you still leave the hole at the top

8. Now the fun part- when it’s completely dry, pop and remove the balloon

9. Get your creativity going and paint your pinata with different designs and colors

10. Traditional pinatas are made in a pointed star shape and have colored crepe paper from the sides and bottom so feel free to add some colored crepe paper to your pinata.

11. Punch 2 small holes in the top near the opening and string a large piece of string through the two holes

12. Fill your pinata (through the hole you left at the top) with candy, toys, or any other fun surprises. In order to keep the prizes/candy inside from pooling in one area, also fill the pinata with leftover newspaper strips or crepe paper.

13. Your done! Now you need a good place to tie pinata and a stick and and a blindfold.

If you are an advanced pinata creator, use your imagination to create a fun design like a flower or an animal shape. Try using thick colored paper filled with scrunched up newspaper and glue or tape to add any details to your basic pinata structure.

idea and photo from:Purple trail

Cactus ring toss

How To Play The Game:

1. Player stands behind the starting line and gets 3 large rings.

2. Player throws the rings at the cactus and needs to hook one of the arms to win.

3. If the player is not successful they go to the back of the line and lets someone else have a turn.

4. Take a picture of your guests with the big cactus

above photo credit: ultimate party shop dot com

How do you celebrate? Any ideas we'd love you to share them with us.

The Sweetest Ideas for Valentine's Day

photo credit: Tom Kat Studio

It's that time of year again, when we jump to remember those we love and care about. My daughters both love celebrating Valentine's Day, even to this day. I'm sharing some cute recipes and ideas for a "sweet" holiday.


photo credit: Family Fun

Sweet Heart Brownies

Ingredients

• 36 2-inch graham crackers
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (don't use evaporated milk)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 16-ounce package semisweet chocolate morsels
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º (325º for glassware). While you generously grease an 8-inch square baking pan, put your kids to work crushing the graham crackers into fine crumbs. It's especially easy and fun if you seal the crackers in a plastic bag and then use a rolling pin.

2. Stir together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the chocolate morsels, pecans, and graham cracker crumbs and mix with a wooden spoon until well blended.

3. Spoon the batter (it will be very stiff) into the greased pan. Use the back of a wooden spoon (or clean hands) to pat the batter into an even layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.

4. Use a cookie cutter or a butter knife to cut out small (these brownies are rich!) heart shapes. Serve plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or raspberry sherbet. Makes about 8 to 12, depending on size.
* From our friends at Family Fun Magazine


photo credit: Martha Stewart

My oldest daughter used to love to come home and "empty" her Valentine's Day mailbox on our kitchen table. This is a cute idea we got from Martha Stewart for your children to make and share with their classmates.

To make, cut a heart from a strip of candy dots, and glue it to a piece of construction paper. With scalloping scissors, cut construction paper to create a border around the heart.

And in our home it wouldn't be Valentine's Day without some "loving" gifts. Here are a few that I found on Etsy that I think are adorable!


photo credit: LBG Studio

Crafty Kids Crayon Art Tote

This pretty little crayon organizer holds 12 crayons, a pad of paper (both included!), and has an extra pocket for stickers, drawings, and other crafty goodness. Perfect for older kids who want to have their own tote to carry. They can take it along with them in the car, doctor's appointments, restaurants, play dates. . . keep them busy and entertained!


photo credit: the belle and the beau

The perfect for Valentine's Day tie!

I love these ties! They are custom designed to be wider for a more modern style. The best part of these kid friendly ties is that they are washable because we all know that boys will be boys!

Belle and Beau's hand made ties are perfect for all occasions, Sunday best, or have some fun by putting them with a polo and jeans.

This red and white holiday paisley is fitting for any little man in your life!


photo credit: Oh Nelly

Since my I called both of my girls "tiny chef's" they would have loved this one!
Let's get cooking! This handmade apron and chef's hat is the perfect kitchen combo for any little chef.

Typically this apron and hat will fit ages 3-7. It has a velcro closure on the neck strap so the apron will not hang too low. The chefs hat is has a velcro closure and is adjustable to the size of the chefs head. Personalization is available for both the apron and the chef's hat.


photo credit: Tom Kat Studio

And if your children are anything like mine they would love to have a Valentine's Day party! Here are a few ideas from Kim at Tom Kat Studios which are so cute and would make any Valentine's Day party a success.

Hope you enjoy your day of "love." Let us know what you do to celebrate!