Author: Becky

…because when you make these, you won’t be able to stop eating them!

Kids love to help in the kitchen, and when you bake, they are drawn to the kitchen like a moth to a flame! A bowl of batter or cookie dough is so hard to resist. But, Chris is especially strict on the “no raw egg” rule for the kids, making the tradition of “licking the bowl” non-existent. (Well, for the kids, at least.) Occasionally, I’ll use a pasteurized product, like Egg Beaters, when baking with them, because sometimes the dough or batter is better than the final cookies or cake.

I came across a recipe that I tweaked a bit for frozen cookie dough balls that excludes eggs, making them the perfect treat to prepare with kids, and even better to eat!

“No-Egg” Frozen Cookie Dough Balls

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon water

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in vanilla, water, flour, salt, baking soda and chocolate chips. Roll into bite-sized balls. Place on baking sheet and freeze 1 to 2 hours.

If desired, melt chocolate candy coating and dip each dough ball into the chocolate to coat. Return dough balls to baking sheet and freeze 1 hour.

Store dough balls in air tight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Enjoy!! 🙂

This great advice for Save-The-Dates comes from eleGALA.com

Save-the-Dates

Our save-the-date cards guide includes rules, etiquette, trends, and save-the-date wording samples.

Although save-the-dates are not absolutely necessary, these cards have increased in popularity with the rise of destination weddings and modern guest lists spread over the country. Since they are a relatively modern concept, no real rules apply – a fact that sometimes causes confusion for brides when planning their wedding stationery. We’ve sorted through the information that’s out there to bring you the real ins and outs concerning save-the-dates…

Who Needs Save-the-Date Cards?

If your guest list includes a number of out-of-towners or if your wedding takes place during a holiday or other peak time, you are a prime candidate for save-the-dates. Since invitations don’t go out until six or eight weeks before the big day, save-the-dates are the perfect way to give wedding guests a preliminary heads-up so they can begin making travel arrangements. These days, however, more and more brides send these cards regardless of the time and location of their wedding. Why? Save-the-dates provide a fun opportunity to get the word out and foreshadow the style of your big event!

Rules & Etiquette

Again, few rules apply. The only information you must include is your names and the wedding date, although we suggest including location information as well so wedding guests can begin their travel plans. Aim to send save-the-date cards soon after you secure your date and venue, or about six months prior to your wedding. Remember, everyone who receives a save-the-date also receives an invitation, so have your guest list finalized prior to sending them. Although formal replies are not required, you can get preliminary attendance estimates through word-of-mouth.

Trends & Ideas

These cards will be the first impression of your wedding festivities, so take advantage of this opportunity to build excitement amongst your wedding guests. If you already know the colors and/or theme of your wedding, now’s your chance to provide a sneak peek. Or try including a favorite love poem or quote that symbolizes your relationship. Here are some of our favorite ideas and trends:

• Use vibrant colors that will “pop” as soon as guests open the envelope.
• Incorporate graphics that correspond with the season and/or location of your event. See Unique Wedding Invitations for Every Season for motif and color suggestions.
• If the timing is right, turn your save-the-date cards into holiday greetings. Incorporate your engagement photo or another photo taken shortly after the proposal.
• Who says they have to be printed stationery? Set yours apart by turning them into scrolls, pens, stickers, magnets, or a creative calendar-marker.

Wording Samples

The content of your save-the-dates should be short, sweet, and to the point – providing a basic who, what, where, and when. There is no standard wording; they can be as formal or as whimsical as you’d like. In any case, make sure to include “Formal invitation to follow” somewhere on the card.

Here is the basic layout for the save-the-date cards:

Save the Date: [bride & groom’s name] are getting married on [wedding date] in [city, state]

Here are some other wording samples you might want to consider:

Traditional
Please save the date:
May 4, 2006, for the wedding of
Mike & Ansley in Charleston, South Carolina

Fun and cutesy
We’re Tying The Knot!
Justin popped the question, and Katie said yes.
Please join us on October 2, 2006
Orange County, California

For a destination wedding
Please join us in paradise on June 17, 2006
when Lisa & Jay say “I Do”
in Maui, Hawaii

I am so excited to show off this session- I absolutely love how these turned out!

We absolutely adore The Wedding Planner & Guide, with their beautiful printed book, easy-to-use website and large, professional bridal shows. Their team is so wonderful to work with and we feel they are such a great source of information to couples planning a wedding. So, we were thrilled to be featured in their March newsletter! You can check it out here, and, of course, you can sign up for your own monthly newsletter to help with all your wedding planning. They send out great tips, ideas, and keep you up to date about upcoming events.

Children will not remember you for the material things you provided, but for the feeling that you cherished them.

I have “hair envy”.

Be like the flower, turn your face to the sun.
— Kahlil Gibran

I have photographed Drew since he was a 3 month old baby, so it’s neat to see him grow. Of course, it’s hard to see him look older than his two years. I usually like images where children look “grown up”. (Except when it’s my own children. I was a bit sad when a client told me my daughter’s three year old portrait made her like a six year old. I want to keep her a baby forever!) But, even I felt a tug on the heartstrings to see Drew looking more like a three year old because, as a parent, I think it’s hard to see your child grow up before you are ready!

We photographed Wendi and Brian’s wedding years ago. So when they welcomed their third baby boy, I was excited to photograph their whole family together. Little Riley will get plenty of love from his brothers. And, I’m sure, will be one tough little cookie!

Michele and Kim have three sweet girls, who all loved the camera! I love to be able to photograph the whole family together, as well as the children together and separately. It’s so much fun when their personalities show!