Plan ahead of time.

In order to have a really smooth shower, the best thing that you can do is plan ahead. The more time you have to get the details in order, the less stress you will have to deal with. Personally I like to plan way ahead of time because it makes it much more fun to not have the time constraints when buying all of the details for the party.

Plan for more.

One of the biggest things that I have found is that itâ€s always good to plan for more guests than you actually invited. Having more food and more favors left over is better than not having enough. You want everyone to leave the party feeling happy and taken care of. You can always give away what was left over (if that happens).

Make lists.

Making lists will help you understand where you are in the planning process and what still needs to get done and bought. The main lists that you need to make are: guest list, foods, beverages, favors, decorations, disposable plates, cups and utensils, and a schedule for the events at the party.

The other way to organize your tasks is to create action based lists. This kind of list is based on a time frame in which the tasks will need to get done. There are things that can only be done on the day of the party or a day before. Having that list of things that you will do the day before and the day of the party will relieve the stress of having to remember it all, giving you room to enjoy the special day.

Have fun games.

Games are a wonderful way to break the ice between the guests. They always bring a lot of fun to the event and make everyone feel like they participated. Plan at least 3 or 4 games to play so that the momentum of the party keeps going. Here are the instructions and printables to the name that candy bar baby shower game. That game is one of the funniest games to play at a baby shower.

Make it theme based.

Ask the mommy to be what theme she would really like. There are many different themes that you can choose from but having the mom pick the theme will be sure to make it an unforgettable experience for her.  If she doesnâ€t know which theme to choose, here are some baby shower themes ideas for you to suggest to her.  

You might even want to use favorite characters from movies or cartoons. Here are some princess and the frog baby shower decorations and a big list of ideas if you want to have a frog themed shower.

After your theme is chosen then planning the rest of the party is much simpler. Invitations, decorations, favors and even the food can follow the theme.

Itâ€s a lot of fun to be able to mix and match and use our creativity when planning a baby shower. By doing these things everyone will be sure to have a blast!

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. ‘We must do something about father,’ said the son. I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on t! he floor.”

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather’ s direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, ‘What are you making?’ Just as sweetly, the boy responded, ‘Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.’ The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather’ s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I’ve learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: A rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same thing as making a ‘life.’

I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back sometimes.

I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you, but, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch — holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

While he was going to go to a college music camp “somewhere,” we’re really glad that Christopher will be able to get more acquainted with the college and professors at Central. This will be a good way for him to confirm that CMU is indeed where he wants to go to college. Having the scholarship pay his way is just icing on the cake! It will look great on his college application, too!

We’re VERY proud of you, Christopher!

We drove in from Michigan, Nathan and family drove in from North Carolina, and Bret and family drove in from Ohio.  We all arrived within hours of each other.  By the time we got there, Dad had come to and was doing much better than he had been the previous night.   He continued to get better over the next couple of days…miraculously so!  The doctor sent him home from the hospital on Friday!  God was truly gracious!

While the situation wasn’t ideal, it was nice to see all the family.  There were actually two new little ones that have been born since we’ve all been together–and they’re a year and a half old!