Oh My Gosh!  Where does the time go?  How is she already 2??!!  I, once again, got emotional as I was making her cake (Does this feeling ever go away?? Does my mom still cry on my birthday ?lol).  But it didn't last long!  I have (mostly) reconciled with the fact that she is not a baby anymore,  She is a full blown kid!  And she is fantastic!  Her little brain is growing like crazy and I love watching it happen right before my eyes!  She started with the "whats this?" and "why?" questions this week & I love trying to explain things to her!  So, to all you mommas (and daddy's) out there that might be struggling with how fast your little ones are growing, know that it these next phases are SO MUCH FUN!!!  

So...this being her 2nd birthday & the fact that we just got back from our Hawaii trip less than a week ago I told myself that we were just going to have a small bbq with close family & friends.  No theme.  No invitations.  Easy Peasy!  

Then I got on pinterest and it was all over!  1 TeFiti Banner & a Moana cake from scratch later we had a party!  haha!  I made everything myself (with the help of my most artistic & creative friend Dori!).  It was super fun to do & didn't take up too much time (but Ill also give you some links to similar items you can buy for less than $10 if crafting isn't your thing!!)  

I was searching Pinterest & came across this picture!  It was the inspiration for the entire party!  And anyone that has seen the movie Moana knows that the TeFiti scene brings all the feels!!  SO I loved the idea of her being the focus of the banner!  And I could buy the printable fromthis etsy shop (and you know how much I love supporting small businesses & it comes with some extra super awesome printable for table decorations too!!) but I REALLY wanted the flowers to be Plumerias (since Ashlyn's middle name is Hawaiian for Plumeria-Melia) & I love to craft....  So, I decided to get all my paper supplies out, make a quick run to The Lakeshore Learning Store for the green backdrop paper, called Dori & got started!  

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• scissors
• construction paper (15 sheets of light green & 9 sheets of dark green)
• Medium green paper roll (link HERE-I got mine at my local Lakeshore Learning store and was able to find a smaller roll that ended up being $7.99 instead of the larger one they offer online)
• white printer paper
• chalk (pink, orange, yellow)
• glue gun
• brown paper roll (Link HERE)
• small flowers (I bought the ones I used at Michaels-link HERE But the ones I got were in a tin and did not have the jewel in the center.  Check your local store to see if they carry the tins of Paper Flowers)

PREP
Cut out the flowers & leaves.  I used this pinterest link for inspiration on the leaves.  It helped guide us but was ended up freehand cutting them instead of making a pattern.  They were pretty easy and we could make all different sizes!  I messed up on a bunch of them (like by cutting the into the center instead of from the edges...I swear I don't know hoe I get through he day sometimes!)

For the Leaves We Cut:
16 Large Leaves-10 light green, 6 dark green
8 each of medium, small & really small leaves for TeFiti's hair decorations-16 light green, 8 dark green

For the Plumerias:
ok, these were A LOT harder than I thought they would be.  SO MANY FAILS!!!  Thank goodness I was able to use 3 of them (with a lot of glueing to the leaves so they would stand up...).  I had found a tutorial on making them but the tutorial was for a much smaller finished product.  In hindsight, I probably would've been happy with a bunch of smaller plumerias but the image in my head at the time said BIG!  so I went BIG! 

For The Hair
I happen to have rolls of this brown paper so I cut them into 12" x 54" strips & rolled them up lengthwise and twisted them into "hair".  This was the easiest part of the entire process!lol!

For the size of your banner, I wanted mine to fit just above my table so I measured it  (54") then added 3" to each side for a total of 60" wide.  But this is totally adjustable depending on how big you want it to be.  

ASSEMBLY
I started by laying everything out where I wanted it to go.  First I placed the hair tendrils, 2 on each side.  Then I placed the leaves across the top.  I had to make some adjustments so the colors were spaced how I wanted them.  Then I used my glue gun to glue down the hair tendrils, then the leaves, then the paper Plumerias.  Then I grouped together 3 of the med/sm/xsm leaves & paper flowers for the hair decorations and glued those to the hair, staggering on each tendril (In the photos you see that I did this step 2nd but I should've waited so they were more visible as the top ones got lost in the bigger leaves-you live you learn.).  I let it all sit to dry overnight (not that that was necessary at all for the glue since that dries very quickly, but I wanted it to lay flat to the paper didn't "roll" as much).  

The very last thing I did was to draw the face.  I procrastinated on this for days!  I was so happy with the way the rest turned out, I knew I could ruin it all if I messed this up!  I thought about tracing it by making my own DIY projector (seriously, whats wrong with me?).  Finally, on the day of the party, once it was up on the wall, I got one of Ashlyns dark green crayons and went for it!  Completely free hand!  And Whew!!!  It turned out ok.  Not perfect but ok.  SO, If I could do it again I might draw the face first.  Before glueing anything.  That way if I mess up I can get a new piece of paper and start over.  No pressure!  
​

I love to decorate cakes!  It is so much fun & I love tapping into this creative side of things.  But IM TERRIBLE at it!!!  Like most crafty things, I do the pinterest inspiration then trial and error method of learning.  So while I have this grand idea in my head as to what its going to look like, the finished product is usually somewhere between that and total pinterest FAIL! lol!!  

And when it comes to baking-T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E!!!!!  I just don't have the knack for it, but I keep trying anyway!  And I found this recipe this time & it actually turned out ok!!!  Like, really ok!!  yay!!!!  CLICK HERE for the White Funfetti Cake Recipe!!  I made 3-9" cake layers.  If I do this cake again I would do smaller diameter (maybe 6") and go to 4 layers so its taller and thinner.

I really like the frosting recipe that goes with this cake (its super yummy) but I would double the amount.  I definitely wish I had more for the filling and frosting the cake.  

While the cake layers were cooking I created the Fondant Flowers.  I have NEVER EVER used fondant for anything so this was all new to me!  And there are 2 HUGE things I would do next time and will save you the time & effort for your project:

1. Buy the teardrop cookie cutters linked below!!  Seriously, just trust me!  they're worth it!
2. Buy the pre-rolled fondant!  IM NOT KIDDING about this!!!  Its the same exact $ for the same amount but they do all the work for you.  (I decided to go with the bucket of fondant so I could see what it was like since it was my first time.  Mistake.  BIG Mistake! Fondant is not east to roll out.  it is tough (even after you kneed it) and you are never exactly sure how thick it should be or how consistent its thickness is).  So save yourself the time & get the pre-rolled stuff!  I got mine at Michaels.

Other than those 2 things these flowers were super easy and fun to make!  Here is the photo I used to figure out how to assemble the flowers.  

I found that once the petals are cut out and laid out in a fan shape & you pick them up and wrap them around, they instantly become a beautiful flower!!!  So pretty!  then i used a new paint brush to "paint" the dust on each flower, doing each one a little differently.  the powder goes on very lightly so don't be afraid to use more to layer the color so its darker.    I only got 2 colors-pink & yellow (they aren't cheap) but next time id like to add blues & purples !  

DECORATING THE CAKE

Place a piece of parchment paper (makes for an easy transition to a cake plate but if you are going to use the turntable for the display you do not need to use it) on a cake decorating turntable (if you don't have one, its ok, just make the process a lot easier) Then place the first layer of cake on the parchment paper and layer the 3 tiers of the cake with frosting in between each layer.  I left the frosting white for this but you could use blue or do something fun with some oranges or pinks as well.  

For the outside I started with the top first.  I added 2 small drops of blue food coloring to the entire batch of frosting then used that to coat the top.  Then I put a couple of spoonfuls into my decorator bag and, using a wide open tip, went around the top 1" of the cake.  Then added another few drops of blue to the frosting and repeated this step again leaving a little space in between.  Repeat with more food coloring and another strip until you have reached the bottom of your cake.  (HINT-Keep a little from each color level for touchups if needed)

Then, using a frosting smoother at a 45 degree angle, turn the cake turntable as you smooth the frosting against the cake  and blend the colors together, creating that Ombre look.  Voila!!  You have a frosted cake!

Lift the cake off the turntable with the parchment paper.  Peel back the paper as you gently place the cake on a cake plate.  Refrigerate to set the frosting-approx 30 min-1 hr. 

I used brown sugar around the base of the cake for sand.  The I placed my Plumerias & figurines around the base and on top.  I found the Maui figurine was heavy so I used a toothpick for extra support.  The plumerias were easy and didn't need anything to hold them on but if you did them down the sides of the cake you might want to try using a toothpick.

Enjoy & Good Luck with Your DIY Moana Party!!!

We took the red eye flight home night before last.  Need I say more.  haha! This momma is exhausted!  But Ashlyn has been trooper and let me sleep a little when we got home so now that I'm a little rested I thought i'd take some time to share about our trip!  But if I ramble, oops!  Im probably falling asleep at my laptop! ;)

Oh my gosh, what a whirlwind of amazing adventures for the last couple of weeks.  I feel so lucky & blessed that we got the opportunity to take such an incredible family vacation!  And I am so excited to share all of our adventures with you!  As I started writing I realized that I had too much to say for one post so I am breaking it up into 3 posts this week.  Today I am going to talk about my Top 10 traveling tips (especially with a toddler)!  

1. Eat Local
   1. There aren't many national chain restaurants on Maui but they do exist.  GO TO THEM AT HOME!  Try the local spots.  From $ to $$$$, try them!  You will have some of the best food of your life!!  (I will talk about some of my favorites on both Maui & Oahu in the next post)
2. Shop Local
   1. Another "no brainer" right?  But seriously, This trip I massively scaled back what I packed because I know I am going to buy a bunch of things from my favorite shops there!  Logo T-shirts & tanks, gorgeous dresses that I can never seem to find locally, skirts, shorts, the list goes on and on!  (I'll go into more detail on my favorite shops on both Maui & Oahu on the next blog post). 
3. Explore the Island
   1. We stayed at one of the most incredible hotels on Maui.  It was so nice that we could see ourselves never leaving the property!  But Im so glad we did.  There is so much more to Maui than one beach, one hotel, one area.  Go to Lahaina side & walk Front Street.  Drive the road to Hana.  Go upcountry & do some shopping!  So many amazing places to see & explore!
4. Fly Hawaiian Airlines
   1. This airline is 100% the best for flying to the island.  I will NEVER use any other airline!  Why?  They always seem to be on time; You feel like you have arrived in the islands as soon as you step on the plane with the music & incredibly friendly attendants; The snacks/meals are actually edible & yummy; I have severe flight anxiety and appreciate the lengths they seem to go to make it a smooth flight (and the pilots ALWAYS warn you ahead of time if there will be any "bumps" along the way.  If I know they are coming & am WAY less worried about it).  And have I mentioned the free cocktail as you approach the islands!  Now that is ALOHA!!!
5. Bring a Cooler
   1. I know you have heard this from me a million times but bringing our yeti cooler has saved us so much money!  When we go to the beach or even just go exploring the area we can bring lunch, cold water, drinks to the beach, etc...!  Then we use it as a carry-on to bring home all the fun things we buy! ;)  I've linked the one we use here.
6. Shop Costco Deals!
   1. I. Am. So. Serious. About. This.  We NEVER could've afforded to stay at such an amazing hotel as The Grand Wailea!!  I mean NEVER!!!  But we just kept checking for deals and open day this one popped up!  We were so excited!  So keep checking because the prices change constantly & if you are flexible on your travel dates you will find an amazing deal!!
7. Get Toddler Headphones
   1. I'm so glad that we decided to buy headphones for Ashlyn on this trip.  She watched Moana & Nemo on the flight over and we were able to enjoy our flight as well!  She had never worn them before, so I had her use them a few times before we left so she was comfortable in them.  ( I really like the ones we got so I've linked them below!!)
8. Target Toy Packs
   1. I saw these $3 activity packs right at the entrance to my local Target.  And they are fantastic for my almost 2 year old!  Plus, I love how they re-seal so I can keep everything together and in her diaper bag & pull it out at restaurants, in the hotel room, anywhere.  The one i got had a coloring/activity book (Ashlyn colored, mommy & daddy  played the games! lol), crayons, stickers, foam stand up card & fuzzy coloring page.   So much fun!!! 
9. Stay in an Air BNB
   1. We have made so many friends that we visit each time we go to Hawaii because we stay in an Air BNB.  The owners are always so friendly and willing to help you with any advice for great food, hikes, sites, shopping, etc...  Plus, with a toddler, we have a kitchen, refrigerator, etc...  That being said, remember, you are in someones neighborhood so take care to park mindfully. ( I hate that this even needs to be said  but, unfortunately we have heard & seen some truly disrespectful things from travelers.  Huge bummer)  that leads me to #10:
10. Be Respectful
    1. This is mentioned last only because it is the most important so I hope it being the last thing you read will stay with you the most!  And I know, this seems like a no brainer, but seriously.  Think of the islands differently and take special care of them.  They are beautiful.  Help keep them that way. That means the obvious: clean up after yourself but take it a step farther and pick up after anyone else that you see that isn't (look around the beach as you leave & you'll find that people leave the craziest things behind & that all goes back into the ocean)!.  And it also means to slow down, be aware and present to those around you & smile every once in awhile.  Trust me, you'll have a better day & so will the people around you!  And take some if this feeling home with you. :)

TAKE THE PONU PLEDGE
Pono is a beautiful Hawaiian word, one with multi-level meaning and a lot of importance for people lucky enough to visit Hawaii. When something—a place, an event, a person’s attitude or a way of doing things—is "pono," it is in a state of correctness. It is respectful, safe, accurate and responsible. 
The Pono Pledge (www.ponopledge.com), a creative new initiative by the Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau (IHVB) and Hawaii County, encourages safe, responsible and respectful tourism. Its eight principles are simply stated, but cover a wide range of situations, experiences and thought-provoking possibilities for visitors on vacation, and for Hawaii residents as well.  Read More...

It had been so crazy busy around here the last few weeks!  We are getting ready to head out for another family adventure this week but this one will be full of relaxation, mai tai's & my feet in the sand!  And I'm going to want to take a million pictures of Ashlyn on the beach but she is totally on to me & refuses to smile for a picture anymore! ugh!!  She hates getting her picture taken!  SO I had to get creative to get her to take a few pics.  I hope this little trick lasts! lol

Do any of your littles hate getting their pictures taken too?  Ashlyn is so over it!  I usually have to hide the camera and sneak a picture in when she's not paying attention.  But if she sees that camera, oh gosh!!  Her little adorable face instantly changed to one of totally annoyed!  

I have a camera full of pictures of her grimacing at me for "one more photo".  All in a attempt to capture that moment when she is doing something totally adorable!!  

Then one day I remembered a trick one of our friends used on their little one.  "Show me your teeth"!!!  Ashlyn is obsessed with her teeth right now.  Loves to brush them & show them off!!  And if I ask her to show them, she suddenly doesn't care about the camera anymore & it kinda looks like she smiling!!  WIN!!!  

Here are a few of my successful photos using the "show me your teeth" method :)

Wish me luck that this will continue to work for a few more years!  lol!!!  What tricks do you have to get cute photos with your little ones?
​CHEERS