What I'm reading

I found two interesting sounding books at Goodwill yesterday. One is "Make the Connection" by Oprah Winfrey and Bob Greene, about an exercise and health program. The other is "The Power of the Subconscious Mind" by Joseph Murphy.

I've been studying and using positive affirmations lately, so I'm really curious about the subconscious book in particular! After I've finished them, I'll post my thoughts. :)

Gift Registry Review

I have a new article up: a review of the gift registry process at Bed Bath and Beyond. My future sister in law set up her registry there, and it was my first time looking for gifts through their service! I wrote a detailed report of my experiences and impressions.

Easter Bridal Shower

This past Saturday I had a new experience - hosting a bridal shower for my soon-to-be sister in law Helen! I've attended a few showers here and there, but I've never participated in planning and hosting one before. The "shower power team" was myself, my stepmother, and my two sisters.

My stepmom rented a room at the local church for the afternoon. Luckily they had plenty of tables and chairs, as well as a kitchen to prepare the food.

The most time and expense was taken by the food. We had lemonade punch, ham biscuits (on that tasty Hawaiian bread), a vegetable tray, fruit cups, a cheese ball, mixed nuts, potato chips and two kinds of cupcakes.

 The bride's colors were blue and yellow, so the tablecloths, plates, and plasticware were coordinated with these two colors. Each end of the table had a pot of yellow tulips, which also served as a prize for one of the games.

 My stepmother found a cute cupcake wedding dress design on Pinterest and copied it perfectly.

I designed and printed out custom water bottle labels that featured the couple's names on the front, and some wedding-related "nutrition facts" on the back.

We found some interesting sounding games online, and printed out the sheets to pass around. The first one was a word game where you tried to match the bride's choices, the second was an observation game where you tried to remember what the bride was wearing, and the third was a Disney song matching game.

The best game involved paper plates...to play, the attendees put the plate on top of their head, then had to draw a wedding scene with the bride, groom, bouquet, church, and steeple without looking.

The results were...well, you can see. XD

Of course there were lots of gifts, but the best one was a HUGE picture frame filled with photos of the groom (my brother) from all stages of his life.

I feel like the shower was a success. It was a lot of work (especially for a tomboy like me who doesn't really "get" showers), and I'm glad it's over! But now I can say I have some party planning and executing experience. :)

-----
PeachPod

SPCA volunteer orientation

I'm embarking on a new little adventure - volunteering at the local animal shelter! I've always wanted to volunteer and help animals, but I never had the time. Since becoming self employed, I have a much more flexible schedule, so I signed up. :) We had an orientation meeting last week with the volunteer coordinator, and it sounds like something I'll enjoy.

I chose this shelter because it's no-kill, so I don't have to worry about the animals here. They have lots of volunteer jobs, like cleaning, walking, socializing, and fostering. They recently opened up help in the clinic, which would be a good fit for me since I have years of experience as a vet tech. And of course I want to do some kitten socializing...aka playing with the kitties. <3

I have a one-on-one meeting with the coordinator next week, to discuss the specifics about what I'll be doing. I can't wait! :)