Let's Play Catch-Up

February was a bit of a blur.  My Mom and Dad came for a visit, we celebrated birthdays, attended ball games, prepared Valentine's day parties and festivities, celebrated anniversaries, attended funerals,  and many other things.  Needless to say, I didn't have much time for blogging.  So, let's go back in time for a minute and chat about some things that got a little overlooked.

I "hosted" several parties during February.  I blogged about Chinese New Year here, if you missed it.

I was also partly in charge of our Blue and Gold Banquet for the scouts.  This is normally a Cub Scout production.  But in honor of the 100th year of scouting, we combined it with the Boy Scouts and made it a grand celebration.  I was specifically in charge of table decorations and I was on a tight budget.  So, this is what I came up with:

The committee wanted balloons, but helium balloons were very expensive.  So I bought some balloons, had the boys blow them up and put them on these really cool sticks.  Then I filled a mason jar with beans and placed it in a gift bag and stuck the ol' balloons right inside.  I also found some really neat vintage scouting pictures on Google and printed them out into these cards.  I think they turned out pretty neat, and I stayed within my budget-hurrah!

Before

During

The third big bash, was my annual Sweet Swap!  It is always so much fun.  My honey had to work that Saturday.  I didn't realize how much I depend on him to take pictures of the event.  So, I don't have any pictures of the actual party.  But I did remember to take some after everyone had gone home.  It's not quite the same as seeing the whole table filled with goodies.  But, hopefully you will get the idea. 

Brownies, peanut butter bars, chocolate coconut macaroons, toffee bars, eclairs, florentines, chocolate marshmallow gooey yumminess...I can't remember all of the names, but they were delicious!  We must have all been in the deep throes of February depression, because almost every recipe relied heavily on chocolate.  YUM!

Except for this little beauty!  No chocolate here.  Well, no dark chocolate anyway.  This one ran off with all the loot--the grand prize winner!  Have you ever seen anything so cute?

Strawberry cupcake dipped in white chocolate with pink frosting piped on top.  The handle is a half  pretzel also dipped in white chocolate.  Adorable and yummy too.  Now if that doesn't inspire you to grab a bowl and wooden spoon and whip up a little treat--I don't know what will.