April Fools!

When it comes to April Fool's type jokes, I'm pretty mild. Generally I think they are kind of mean. Guess I don't have a very good sense of humor in that way. So when I saw a KFC April Fool's dinner on Pinterest, I knew it would fit my non-mean, cute type of April Fool's joke.

"Fried chicken, corn on the cob and baked beans".

The chicken bones were made from a pretzel rod and 2 mini marshmallows, dipped in white chocolate.
The chicken meat was Rice Crispy treats formed and shaped onto the bone. Then I slathered them with a peanut butter white chocolate combo and then dipped and patted bran flakes onto them for the crispy fried skin look.

The corn on the cob was a Twinkie that I frosted and then placed Jelly Belly (buttered popcorn) jellybeans onto, in rows. The butter pat was a lemon Starburst.

The baked beans were chocolate and vanilla pudding mixed with some orange and red food coloring then chocolate covered raisins stirred in. The original post suggested Sugar Babies, but I didn't find any at the store. My baked beans didn't look as authentic as the original, but they did the trick.

For dinner... oh, I mean dessert we had "cupcakes".

Meatloaf frosted with pink mashed potatoes.

I invited the family to come in for dinner. They knew we weren't really having KFC (it was a Sunday), but they couldn't figure out what exactly they WERE having for dinner.

Jason (and I) still being on the "no sweets" wellness challenge, just kind of sat there not knowing what was safe and what was "off limits" to eat. I assured him that he could have these cupcakes, but probably should wait on the other things. :)

A mixed up kind of dinner...

April Fools!

Dean confided later that he had the opportunity to have some live chickens given to him. He had wanted to put them in his innocent, unsuspecting siblings homes, through their back doors for an April Fool's joke. He didn't do it...but he wished he had.

How would you react to a live chicken roaming your home?

Baby Shower for Candice

If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE to throw parties! I love all the details of planning and making. I also love to decorate the party room so it's visually stimulating and fun to look at.

Thank goodness Candice was having a baby and there was another reason to have a party. :)

I had offered to throw Candice a baby shower for Jackson or Lizzy, but she didn't want to trouble me. This time I wouldn't take NO for an answer. She just got to tell me what day and time would work and give her input on what direction I should go with a theme.

Because she liked the color combination of green and brown for a baby boy, we went for a jungle and monkey theme.

This was my first, and maybe my last, attempt at making a sock monkey.

It wasn't nearly as fun or as easy as I thought it would be. The socks I had chosen were quite long and VERY stretchy. So this made my monkey extra long. My family had concerns as I was constructing it, but in the end I think it turned out OK. :)

I had fun making this banner and I liked how it turned out.
I used brown paper grocery bags, green paper and computer printed letters and monkey. Then stapled the circles to one of my grocery bag "vines".

When my kids saw my making and decorating efforts, they wanted to help. Taylee, Treyson and Abree made these monkeys and bananas for decoration.
The yellow thing that kinda looks like a flower is a banana peel. Taylee's cute idea. Love it!

Grandma Ison's sock monkey came to the party.

The vines were made out of brown paper grocery bags that had been cut, folded and then sewn together attaching green felt leaves randomly.

My kids also helped by getting their Webkins jungle animals and decorating the bookshelf.

Treyson was just sure we needed a HUGE snake at the jungle party. He let me use Bowden the Boa Constrictor to decorate the banister.

Vines were everywhere! It was a JUNGLE in there. :)

I wanted to make a jungle themed diaper cake. In my creating process I came up with this diaper tree instead. This was another of my ideas that my family was skeptical of at first. I LOVE the monkey we found to hang out in the tree. His face is so happy.

The party wouldn't be a party without yummy snacks.... jungle themed of course.

We had a nice turn out of friends and family at the party.

Jacque & Nici

Amber

Amber & Lisa

Mom-LoraDawn, Tera, Miriam

Daisylyn was part of our entertainment. She was a cute little busy monkey.

Tammy

What is a shower or party without games? Don't say "perfect"!

The first game we played was fun. I had Candice's kids (Micaela-8, Jackson-5 & Lizzy-3) draw pictures of Nursery Rhymes. We numbered them and then had everyone guess which nursery rhymes they were. They were SO cute.... even with the additions of snakes and camouflage, that had nothing to do with the rhyme. :)

Wish I had taken some pictures of them. I was too busy holding the pictures and being hostess, I guess.

Next, instead of giving Candice baby advice, we wrote down "Wishes for Baby". I gathered these and put them in a little photo album for Candice to take home.

Next was draw a baby on a plate.... on top of your head.

The winning "baby".

Joan-Candice's mom & Candice

After snacking on jungle food, opening gifts was next.

Candice received lots of C-U-T-E baby boy things.

This diaper cake was from Jacque.

See? I told you she got lots of C-U-T-E stuff.

Can't wait to meet baby boy!