How to Throw an Amazing Baby Shower Party

Throwing a baby shower is a very widespread tradition all over the world. It is a very special party for new mothers. Although it is usually held for only female participants, it is not against the rules to invite the father and other male guests.

The idea of planning a baby shower seems really fun. And it should be, but it's also a lot of responsibility, especially throwing a party for the first time mother. Here are some tips to have an awesome baby shower!

First you need to think about the time for the party. Before or after the baby has arrived? If you think having a pre-birth shower, you should definitely plan it 1-2 months before the baby is due - just in case the baby comes early. Also it gives the parents some time to shop for things they didn't get on the shower. When parents don't want to know the sex of the baby before birth, it would be wise to throw a party when the little miracle has born. It gives the guests an advantage regarding presents - it is a lot easier to pick colours when you know if it's a boy or a girl. Also a very good idea for a baby shower present is something for the new mother, a relaxing day in a spa or manicure or a really beautiful maternity dress.

The second important thing is to have a list of the guests. It is necessary to know which family members, friends and co-workers are invited to this special event.

Thirdly, you need to consider the food and decorations. It helps when you know the sex of the baby, but you can just use colourful flowers, stuffed animals, family photos and some balloons in the party room to make it look really cute and happy. Also you may go with a theme-party. Food should be something light - healthy snacks, fruit etc. But you have to keep in mind that when you go with light snacks, the timing needs to be between lunch and dinner.

Also baby showers could use some fun games. For example give the mother a doll and a diaper to see how she changes it or invent fun games with baby-names. Games should be thought through carefully because you don't want the mommy-to-be feel uncomfortable with any of them.

Baby shower invitations

These are very-very important. It would be very nice to send them out hand-written and by mail service. It is common to use e-mail, but it would be a lot nicer when you sent them out on pretty paper. Baby shower invitation wording should be simple, but informative. The guests need to know the place and time, information regarding the gifts (letting them know that there is a list that mom has made or maybe collecting money for a collective gift), party theme (when you have one) and if you decide to give everyone a little assignment (like bringing fruits, getting balloons etc), it should be added in the envelope separately or written in a funny way on the invitation.

This, plus a little fantasy, is all you need to throw a memorable baby shower that everyone remembers for a long time.

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5 Baby Shower Tips for Expecting Moms

Have you ever noticed how wedding showers and baby showers come in groups, then nothing for years? I sure hope it doesn't work the same way for funerals or we will all be in trouble. When my wife and I got married 32 years ago we had one month where we went to a wedding every weekend. All our friends were the same age as we were and all getting married like we did. A couple years later and she's going to their baby showers. Then, nothing.....for a long time. Now our children are older and getting married and so are our friends children and the cycle starts again, wedding and baby showers.

What I Wished We Had

I remember when she had her baby shower 29 years ago. We went to the store such as Sears, looked at the baby things then registered what we would like to have. Yes, they had baby registers way back then too. I'm not that old. I am however so old they did not have the internet when she was expecting. I did not have the opportunity like you have now of researching different things or surfing the net to see what is out there.

We both went to a baby shower a few months ago for one of our old friend's daughter. Baby showers are a good thing, especially if it's your first baby because for most people, there is no way they could afford everything a baby needs to get started out in life. Jennifer received many nice things and some things I certainly did not have or necessarily need when my babies were born. Nevertheless, there were a few things I wished I did have, it would have made my life easier. Like a baby wipe warmer. I used to warm the wipe up in my hands although I still managed to shock my baby a bit when I wiped her bottom. With the baby wipe warmer, the wipes come out so nice and warm there is no shocking your baby with the least bit of cold.

Know What You Want Or Get Stuck With What You Don't

Jennifer's baby is old enough now to start using some of the many things she got at her shower that have been stored and waiting for such an occasion. One of the things was a very nice stroller that she received from her godmother. I know she spent a lot of money on this as she wanted what she thought was the best for her godchild's baby. And it really is a nice stroller. But since her baby was born, Jennifer also has been to some baby showers and found something she likes better.

Jennifer talked to her friend who really did their research. Her friend knew she wanted to have 2 children and she wants them close in age. She is real money conscience and also a stickler for recycling and going green. After much research she chose the City Select Stroller because you can use it as a single stroller and add on to it as you family increases. She also said that she did not like double strollers as they were too wide to fit in most doors at stores and etc.

Think Ahead

I was really impressed at her reasons and insight as to what she wanted. She did not want to get just anything; she wanted a specific stroller for a specific reason. If she got a single stroller, what would she do with it when her second baby arrived? Also she probably would not be getting a baby shower for the second baby so this would be an expense she and her husband would be making. She put this stroller on her baby register and she did receive it. It was a little more expensive than a single stroller but her two sisters went together and got her something she really wants and needs.

The other nice thing about this stroller is that you could put a bassinet on it and you could be pushing both your babies around much sooner. In a regular stroller, you cannot put an infant in because the stroller does not lay flat. But with the bassinet attachment, you can put an infant in as they can lie flat.

Do Your Research

Being able to use the internet to do research like this really paid off for this mom. She was not going to end up with a stroller she no longer needed after such a short time, and made a very wise choice in a nice stroller that she can add on too as her family grows.

After the bassinet, you can add a regular seat to the stroller and have your children sit facing you, facing out, facing each other or not facing each other. Such versatility, I see why Jennifer wished she had done her research as she also wants two children close in age. Another one of Jennifer's friends also made a wise choice. She is a jogger. She did not want to give up jogging when she had her baby and wanted to include the baby on her jogs as it was a chance to get outdoors and get some fresh air. She did research and chose the Jeep Jogging Stroller because you can't jog using a regular stroller.

Make their purchase worthwhile

The moral of all of this is to take the time and do your research. Really think about what you want to do as these two moms did. They chose strollers that perfectly match their wants, hopes, and ideas. In this day in age no one needs to waste money on buying something twice or buying something they won't really get much use from. In this case, it will also eliminate having another stroller end up as landfill or taking up room in your garage. Do your research; think about what you want, and what you need before you fill out that baby register.

I think I would be extremely happy if I had purchased this stroller as a baby shower gift and found the mom still using it years later. Your friends and family want what you think is best for your baby and want to please you. Make their purchase worthwhile.

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Fun Ways to Welcome a New Baby

When a new baby is born in the family, it is a reason to celebrate. There are several ways to include older siblings in welcoming the new baby and begin building the sibling bonds for their future relationships. These ideas can all be accomplished without breaking the bank.

Plant a tree or garden

When the baby comes home, plant a tree to celebrate the birth of a new life. Enlist the entire family to pick it out and care for it. If you do not have a tree for the older siblings, consider getting ones for them as well. If you are live somewhere that this is not an option, you can plant a container garden with flowers to represent members of your family.

Make a snow, rock or clay family

If your new arrival comes in the winter months with snow on the ground, make a snow family to represent each member of the family. If you don't have snowy weather, you can make a "snow family" with Styrofoam balls to display for winter holidays. If snow is not your style, gather rocks and embellish them to make a family with Google eyes, felt or foam accessories or bows, etc. You can sculpt family members out of polymer clay as well.

Decorate the car

When a couple gets married, their family and friends decorate the car to wish the new family well. You can do the same when going to pick up baby. Make sure that you leave adequate space to safely see while driving on the windows.

Wear matching family t-shirts or outfits

You can buy t-shirts (and a newborn sized one piece undershirt) from any craft or discount store. They can be embellished with fabric paints, patches, with fabric markers or with homemade t-shirt transfers. Read the directions for the fabric paint or transfers to see if the shirts must be washed before decorating. Fabric paints and markers are obviously permanent on fabric, so use with care with small children. Use a piece of cardboard to put inside the shirt to prevent the paint from bleeding through. It can take up to twenty-four to forty-eight hours for the paints to dry, so this is not a good activity to do within a few hours of going to the hospital to pick up the baby. T-shirt iron-on transfers can be purchased and an image or text can be designed on the computer and printed onto the transfers with any inkjet printer. Follow the directions to apply the transfer. Make sure that you make one for Mom and Dad too!

If you want to go fancier, make matching t-shirt dresses for the girls and Mom and Dad and the boys can all wear matching ties.

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Some Effective Tips on How Not To Throw a Baby Shower

If you are planning to throw a baby shower, it is important that you make the necessary arrangements carefully. However, it is advisable to not to take any shortcut in a hurry, and ruin the event. In other words, you should take the things lightly, and deal with them one by one. To begin with, you must not to buy such items that are overtly expensive. Secondly, you must not ignore the convenience of your guests, and choose an inappropriate venue.

Some more effective tips on how not to throw a baby shower are given below for your reference:

• Do not choose inappropriate gifts - You would most likely find yourself in an embarrassing situation if you give a pack of crayons to one of the grandparents. In other words, it is important to choose the gifts carefully. Following are some of the items that you can gift to your guests:

a) Grandparents - You can give them photo frames, caps, figurines, shirts, plaques, and magnets.

b) Siblings - Teddy bears, t-shirts, books, bracelets, crayons, and cards are some of the ideal gifts for siblings.

c) Others - T-shirts, ties, coffee mugs, and photo frames are perfect for other important guests.

• Do not throw a boring party - Believe it or not but your guests would not like a boring baby shower. Therefore, it is important that you take care of fun and entertainment, and leave no room for dullness. You can do this in any of following ways:

a) Choose attractive decorations - There are a lot of attractive napkins, candles, and other decorative items available in the market. You should prefer such items over the dull and boring ones.

b) Opt for games and activities - Games and activities would allow your guests to entertain themselves if you are not around due to any reason. You can choose any of the popular games, and ensure that everyone participates with equal enthusiasm.

• Do not be a miser - In the wake of the current economic slowdown, it is important for you to save money. However, you do not need to be a miser, especially when most of the items are available at a reasonable price. Believe it or not but you can easily buy any of the following items online at an economically viable price:

a) Gifts

b) Toys

c) Favors

d) Decorations

e) Tableware

f) Clothing

• Do not choose an unreliable vendor - There are too many vendors that sell baby shower items. However, you can easily identify a reliable vendor. Following are some of the things that you need to look for when choosing a vendor:

a) Shipping policy

b) Return policy

c) Delivery time

d) Order cancellation policy

e) Price

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Can You Still Make Money Panning for Gold?

Gold's current high value and the ailing global job market has led to a surge in regular folks exploring the sometimes lucrative career of gold mining. It is believed that billion of dollars worth of gold are still hidden in the United States! Who wouldn't love a piece of that?

In fact, large amounts of gold have recently been found at the gold mines in North Carolina, Colorado and California. If you're interested in giving it a try, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, one needs to select a suitable area that is both potential for gold's existence and is legal for gold panning. National parks are off limits as they are usually restricted for public digging. However, there are many other public lands where minerals can be sought. Researching the records of mining and public land will give clues about where to fix the sweet spot for digging gold.

Stay away from hobby gold-mining sites that you see advertised in brochures and road side billboards. These locations are usually setup for tourists and thus offer little hope for serious gold miners.

After selecting the spot, one can stake a mineral claim to prevent others from intruding into the spot. For gold panning, you don't need to buy a lot of tools. Just a gold pan, a shovel, buckets, gloves, and camping supplies would be enough at the starting. A pair of tweezers and a magnifying glass will help to detect the tiniest pieces of gold. One can buy a metal detector and dredges too.

A fair forewarning - gold mining is a very hard work! One has to be willing to put in long hours and be patient enough to taste the fruit of success in gold panning. The best way would be to take it as a means of passing weekends and leisure periods than a fulltime job.

It can also be a good way to spend time with family and friends while having fun. It is a very tough job for the newcomers because knowledge and experience are the two important keys to get success in gold panning. It is also true that very few people can make their livelihood from gold mining.

While it is true that finding large amount of gold is quite difficult, the possibility of finding a little "color" in a gold pan is hard to resist.

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Is a Class Ring Investment a Good One?

It's a rite of passage some say. It's a way to remember high school say others. Next to a letter jacket, it's a status symbol for upperclassmen. What is it? A class ring, of course.

The tradition of class rings originated at the United States Military Academy at West Point with the class of 1835. Despite their venerable origins, high school rings seem to have a fleeting allure.

A trip around some online forums where class ring discussions are going on and, no surprise, many visitors report not wearing their high school class ring after high school ended. College rings seemed a bit different, more so for men than women.

I remember getting my class ring. It wasn't cheap, but it was cool. I remember picking the stone color, the embellishments that covered the sides of the ring based on my interests and the anticipation of its delivery. Then, like many of my peers, I wore it my senior year, then put it away in my jewelry box. Money my parents spent well? Probably not. It did make me happy at the time. But my jewelry box saw the ring way more than the ring saw the light of day once I was in college and beyond. It just didn't have the same importance that it once did.

Based on the forum conversations, I'm not alone in my abusive class ring treatment. And, given the large number of class rings I'm seeing come across my desk, I have to wonder if the tradition of getting a class ring is passe. Or is it that we just get wiser after high school?

Just for fun, I visited the Josten's website. Josten's is the place for class rings - high school, college, military, etc. They also offer a variety of other items you might find helpful, such as, graduation notices, spirit clothing, and so on. My interest was to determine how much I would have to pay today to buy the same ring I had in high school. I was surprised at all the choices available now! My ring, which looked like a smaller version of a men's ring, was fashioned in 18k gold and would cost $764.00 today. In hindsight, it was nothing special, really. And that's a lot of money to spend for something most people only wear for a year.

Don't get me wrong. I remember how badly I wanted a ring to signify I was nearly out of high school. I'm not down on class rings, but it seems like the investment is fleeting. I'm just wondering if, in the bigger scheme of things, it's really a good purchase.

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