4th of July Inspiration

Ohhh how I wanted to throw a 4th of July party this year. Circumstances have definitely made this not a good year so instead I will dream of what I would of liked to do! So here is some inspiration to get you in the 4th of July Spirit!! 

Images: table setting (Carolyn Rohem), cupcakes (http://edmontoncupcakes.ca/), Patriotic napkins (Martha Stewart), Flower Centerpiece ( Womans Day),  Red lanterns (Frolic!), Paper garland (Martha Stewart), Drinks (Martha Stewart), Patriotic Pops (bakerella)

Feedback and GIVEAWAY!

I have no idea if any of you will comment or enter, but I have a request! I would love to make this blog more of what you enjoy reading so I was hoping you could do me a favor and in return I would love to do a giveaway for you all!

Would you all click on the comment box and give me some feedback on blog posts? I would love to hear what you enjoy about what I post (recipes, fashion, personal stuff, etc... ). I also would love to hear if you have any requests for future posts. This has really become a hobby and I have loved getting to know others through this, but I want to make sure that I am staying connected with all of you out there.

So in return I would love to do my first giveaway on Passys and Parties! I have a few extra aprons from the bridal luncheon I threw back in April. It is a snazzy apron you can use in the kitchen while cooking some yummy monday recipes or even heck you could wear it is a skirt it's so cute! These aprons set the tone for the bridal luncheon I threw; They served as party favors but also they were used as the chair covers! So I really think all of you could use this cuteness! So don't hesitate to enter!

 To enter this giveaway....

1. You must be a follower of Passys and Parties

2. Must leave a comment stating what you enjoy or what you would like to see more of on this blog.

3. For a second entry you can blog about this giveaway and about Passys and Parties (leave another comment letting me know if you have done so)

4. That's all you have to do! 

Giveaway ends a week from today (July 7th) and winner will be chosen using random.org. Leave email in your comment if you do not have an email that is evident on your blog page. 

Good luck friends!

Belated Yummy Monday: Savory Meat Pie

So last night Sawyer was feeling better and I decided we all needed a wholesome comfort meal. I didn't want to get out and go to the grocery store b/c I am trying to keep him inside for a few days so I began to scope out what I had in our freezer, fridge and pantry. I knew I had some hamburger meat frozen so I started brainstorming on recipes I could use with hamburger meat. I didn't feel like spaghetti and didn't feel like a plain ole hamburger so I went with something very random and it ended up being so good! I had everything here for this meal so it worked out perfectly. I had seen a recipe similar to this on All Recipes but I revised what I had seen so that I didn't have to go to the grocery store. This is what I came up with... 

Savory Meat Pie

- 2 unbaked pie crusts ( I used pillsbury already made pie dough)

- 1.5 pound hamburger meat

- 1 can condensed tomato soup

- 3 cups cheese ( I used cheddar cheese b/c it is what I had)

- 1 chopped onion

- 1 package dry Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Line a pie dish with 1/2 of the pie dough.

 

- In a skillet brown and cook the onion and meat together. Once cooked drain grease and then add the soup, ranch, 2 cups of cheese (reserve about 1 cup of the cheese for the top of the pie), and salt and pepper. Mix well

- Add to the unbaked pie dough and spread out evenly. 

- Place the other half of the pie dough on top of the meat mixture and seal the edges. Use foil pieces to cover the edges of the pie crust so it doesn't burn. 

- Bake pie at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, take pie out and add remaining cheese on top of the pie. 

  Bake for another 10-15 minutes. Enjoy! 

I served this with roasted sweet potatoes and salad and it turned out to be a hit with the Hubs.  

Featured Party: Under the Sea 1st Birthday

Well for those who don't follow my other blog, Passys and Parties, we have had quite a weekend. We spent two nights in the hospital with our 14 month old son and are just now getting around to normal life again. Sorry for the lack of posts the last few days!

OKay, I have some major cuteness to share. I discovered this photographer Ali Wood through a friend and she just posted the most spectacular party. She shot a 1st birthday for one of her best friend's son and these pictures could not of turned out more precious. Also, Brooke is the fabulous master mind behind all of these cute ideas so make sure and check out her website.

 Adorable table setting, love the fish towels and how cute is this little boy?! Hope ya'll enjoy as much as I have!

Thanks Ali and Brooke! I was so excited to pass this party along!

Resting, Cuddling, Catching up

Today is officially rest and cuddle day at the Henry Household! Thankfully Sawyer slept until 11:00 which at first worried me but now realize that his little body needs to catch up on SOOOO much sleep. He is being quite cuddly and clingy so far today so I am giving in an holding him as much as he wants me to. The love I feel for him after all of this is so indescribable I seriously just don't want to even let him out of my sight or put him down. So for today I'm taking a break from Yummy Monday and I am soaking up my cuddle time with my precious little guy. I think we both need each other extra big time today.

We did ALOT of this in the hospital so I got a little spoiled 

So now we are doing a lot of this today at home.. Just what we both need today :)

Tune in this week sometime for a giveaway!!

home sweet home

Thanks for all the prayers because we are home in our pjs watching tv and lounging around. Yay!!! It feels so good! Sawyer is doing much better. He is on some very strong steroid medication for the next four days. While he is on this medication we will definitely have our hands full but I can't tell you how good it feels to be taking care of him from home. We feel so relieved and are excited to get some rest (hopefully). Anyway, that is that. We made it through the nightmare and are so glad that it is behind us. Thanks again friends for your support and encouragement through the last few days!

Improvement!

Well, God answered our prayers because he woke up this morning and seems so much better. His last breathing treatment was a few hours ago and his breathing sounds so much better and clearer. It seems so far that his asthma is finally breaking up. We are waiting to see a doctor to see if maybe, maybe, maybe we could even go home today. I am praying hard but not getting my hopes up.

Last night was good for the most part. Sawyer slept good if he was in my arms and so we both slept in the tiny hospital bed and I soaked up the feeling of his breathing chest next to mine. I was mainly wide awake because I was so filled with joy, love and thankfulness as I held him all night. I am so emotional this morning looking back at these last two days just thanking God for getting us through all this and for taking care of our boy. I can't even tell you how hard it is to watch your son go through everything we have watched him go through these last couple days so seeing him happy and breathing well this morning is just so exciting for us.

Anyway, just wanted to give a little update. Thanks again for all your prayers.. keep them coming!

"God is our Refuge and Strength...

God is or refuge and strength a VERY present and well proved help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1)

This is the verse that my mom sent me on my phone at 6:30 this morning after the longest night of my life. 

I have been repeating this in my head since she sent it to me doing my best to truly believe and live by this verse today. 

Here's what's going on.. 

Sawyer has Asthma. Technically they can't officially diagnose him until the age of about 3 or 4 but every doctor, every nurse and us his parents are 99.9% sure that he has it and so far it has taken a a pretty significant toll on our lives. It started a few weeks ago and we have been in to see doctors, do breathing treatments, take steroid medications, use multiple inhalers and stay consistent with allergy medicine. Through all of this it seemed that his breathing was only getting louder and more restricted. 

I took him to the pediatrician to do another breathing treatment yesterday (Friday) because I noticed that he was struggling and I wanted to get him a treatment before the weekend. We got there and our wonderful doctor came up with some new treatment plans for Sawyer and sent us home with our very own breathing machine. He told us to use the machine two times a day and then use the inhaler on top of that. So off we went and did as he said. We hung out with some friends on Friday night and toward the end of our night started noticing that his breathing was getting worse. We went straight home and did another breathing treatment, used his inhaler and put him to bed b/c he was so exhausted. I put him in bed feeling apprehensive and a little paranoid but I felt like since he fell straight asleep he must be okay. 

I hit the sack and a couple hours later Andrew wakes me up b/c he hears Sawyer making wierd fussing noises. We go in and he is SERIOUSLY struggling. I immediately went into panic mode. He was struggling so much he couldn't even cry. We immediately started the breathing treatment... 10 minutes later no progress.. We did the inhaler.. 2 minutes later no progress... We start another breathing treatment... 15 minutes later Worse... Called the hospital and they said bring him in immediately. 

So there I was at 1:00 in the morning feeling so scared, so helpless and so frantic. We packed a small bag and off we went. The E.R. was packed and it was a miserable place to be last night. They rushed us back pretty fast but b/c of the lack of doctors it took them over 4 hours to give us any help. Andrew and I at this point were so fed up, so scared and so MAD! Finally they came in around 6:30 this morning gave him a 1 1/2 hour breathing treatment where he screamed the entire time and then sent him straight to X RAY which was extremely traumatizing for him and us. After all of that and no sleep at all it was about 8:00 and they come in and say that he needs to be admitted because his breathing wasn't getting any better. 

So here we are 1 asthma attack, 1 IV, 1 scary x ray, 15 breathing treatments, 1000 milligrams of steroids and many tears later and trying to calm down and trust God. I have gained so much perspective from this last 24 hours and have truly been at some very low lows and now am sitting here crying out in joy that I have a beautiful, sweet perfect boy that is sleeping and for the most part he is healthy. Nothing life threatening.. Nothing compared to what so many people have gone through with their kids or are going through with their kids. We are so lucky and so blessed that this is what we have to deal with. God is going to use this and He already has. Even though Asthma may be a part of our lives in a significant or hopefully not too significant way we hope that through it all we will learn to give it up to God and draw closer to Him through our fear. 

Now for the latest, we are just waiting to hear  from the nurses and doctors the word, "improvement!". So far we haven't heard a whole lot of new information other than we will probably be here a couple of days continuing treatments until we hear this asthma break up. His little chest is still so tight and he still is very wheezy. So we will wait patiently and pray that tomorrow morning we will wake up to clear breathing. As for now he will be sleeping with me in a tiny little bed and we will wake up every couple hours to receive more treatments. We are praying for some rest because we haven't slept in over 24 hours now (including Sawyer). The steroids make him very WIRED which is frustrating because his little body is so tired and he can't figure out what to do with his energy. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this night ahead of us. 

Thank you for all the texts, facebook messages and calls. We are truly doing fine and are so thankful that our precious Sawyer Bear is doing better and is in good care. I'll keep ya'll posted over the next couple days.

Here is a recap in pics of our last 24 hours...

waiting with a sick sick boy... 

this is how we've spent most of the day... Breathing treatments galore

Things started looking up when he got to eat some pie. What Sawyer wants Sawyer gets while he's in the hospital!

He has been on a million wagon rides today! He loves it and it relaxes him, which is a good thing right now. 

Fashion Friday: Yes Please Mustard Seed

I discovered this awesome etsy designer a few days ago through another blog and I just LOVE her style!  Take a look at her whimsical jewelry and make sure and check out The Mustard Seed Co, you'll fall in love too!

Breakfast for Dinner... Yum!

When I was growing up one of my favorite memories is when I would come down for dinner and smell pancakes, sausage and maple syrup. Who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?!  There's something so comforting about breakfast food.

That is why when I saw this adorable pajama breakfast-dinner party I fell in love! Rachel is from my hometown in Little Rock and she has an adorable blog where she documents about being a newlywed and mostly she posts all about her cooking adventures (she has posted some really great recipes). Recently she had a small get together where her and some friends enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast meal for dinner and then they all watched movies in their pajamas. How fun is that?!

I love how she made an ordinary Friday night something special for her husband and their friends. Look how cute this is! 

She used a quilt she already had and bed sheets for the tablecloth and set the table like an actual bed. So simple but so creative! And talk about saving money! 

I love the country flair that was brought into all the details. 

Seriously how cute?! 

What a different and fun way to celebrate a Friday night with friends. 

Thanks for sharing Rachel!

Ya'll make sure and hop on over to Dinner Bells and check out more of her awesome blog. 

Baby Food Sketti

I haven't posted a baby food recipe in while so I thought I would share one that I have done recently that Sawyer adores. I do these type of recipes every once in awhile to keep things interesting for Sawyer and to have healthy food on hand for lunches and dinners so I don't get too lazy with feeding him wholesome food. Anyway here it is... 

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

- 1 Spaghetti Squash

- 1 1b ground turkey

- 1/2 jar organic Spaghetti Sauce (your choice) 

- 1 cup pureed carrots

- 1 cup cheese of choice 

- First you fill a baking pan with water that fills it up about 1/2 way. Cut the spaghetti squash in 1/2 and place both sides face down in the pan with water. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. 

- While that is cooking place turkey in a skillet and brown and crumble. 

- Add the spaghetti sauce, pureed carrots and cheese, heat and mix together. 

- When the squash is cooked you use a fork to dig out the spaghetti squash. It is so easy and comes right out and looks like little spaghetti noodles. 

- Place the squash and turkey sauce in a bowl and mix together. Place in a small baking dish and bake just for a little bit to make it yummier. I bake it at 350 degrees for just about 10-15 minutes. 

They'll love it and it's quite tasty for adults too! 

Featured Party: Stay for Tea

Julie with A Reason To Get Together threw one beautiful 1st birthday party for her daughter. The details were spectacular and the end result could not of been cuter! I am obsessed with the clothesline she made for her daughter displaying her first year memorabilia. I also love how she used antique windows and cabinets to use as backdrops for her table displays; Such a good idea (storing away that one for the future)! Be sure and check out tons more details on her  BLOG and get ready to get inspired! 

Julie thanks again for sharing your ideas! I am SO impressed! 

Picture Catch Up

I feel like I haven't posted pictures of Sawyer very much simply because I really don't even have any pictures of him at this age. I got convicted to capture a few Sawyer moments yesterday so that I could keep up with his cuteness. It gets so hard taking pictures of this toddler boy. I still can't believe I have a TODDLER! Anyway, Hope you enjoy this 14 1/2 month old yumminess!

This is one of my favorites! It shows how big and brown those eyes are :)

Hope everyone has a good day!

KGD: Chandelicious!

Ya'll tune in to Katie Grace Design today for a fun post about chandelier inspiration. They are all DIY chandeliers that you can use for parties or even in your home. Check it out HERE!

Chandelicious

 Next time you throw your next party or next time you want to maybe do a little face lift to an area in your home, why not get funky with some chandeliers. Look at these fabulous ideas that will surely inspire!

This is a chandelier that is made from reclaimed wood and recycled scraps of fabric. Ummm... LOVE THIS! (Apartment Therapy)

This is a chandelier that is made from an old book, cardstock and old pictures. So clever! (504 Main)

I love how Morgan pulled in an old lamp shade for the focal point of this homemade chandelier. (Pepper Design Blog)

How beautiful is this one? Can you believe that this entire chandelier is made from used coffee spoons thrown away at fast food restaurants?! So impressive! (Studio Verissimo)

I love the simplicity of this mason jar chandelier. (Casa Sugar)

Have a fabulous day!

Yummy Monday: Brown Sugar Spaghetti

Okay folks, when you see this recipe you will probably wonder what it's doing with some of these ingredients, but let me just say that there is a reason that all my friends including my husband call this recipe "crack spaghetti". It is SOOOO Good! Next time you are having some friends over definitely pull this one out of your trick box because it never fails to be a huge hit!

Brown Sugar Spaghetti

- 3 lbs ground beef

- 1 large jar Rague
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 bottle Tiger Sauce (found in Hot sauce section in grocery store)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- salt/ pepper to taste
- 1 TB chili powder
- 1 pkg shredded cheddar cheese ( 3 cups)
- 1 pkg thin spaghetti noodles

• Brown meat with onions and bell pepper. Drain grease and return to pan
• Add all other ingredients (reserve some of the cheese) 
• cook spaghetti in another sauce pan and drain noodles. 
• Mix noodles and meat sauce, place in  a baking dish spread around reserved cheese on top of the mixture and then cover with foil. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. 
• ENJOY!!! 

Featured Party: Sweet Birthday

Lauren with Lauren Grace Boutique went over and beyond in the sweet details for her daughter's birthday. She made almost everything herself and it all turned out beyond adorable. From the candy topiaries, cute labels and the tooth brushes in apothecary jars everything was pulled off to perfection. Lauren, love all the details, thanks for passing your creativity on for all of us to drool over! Make sure and check out Lauren's blog for more details on the party!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to the best daddy I know! 

Andrew, thank you for loving and leading Sawyer so well. Thank you for being our support and the backbone of our family. You are so selfless, encouraging, loving and strong. I truly don't think Sawyer and I would survive without you. We love you SOOO much! 

Style Wish List

Wish List by passysandparties featuring See By Chloe bags


 I woke up and decided to make a collage of what my wish list would be right now. Love all these items! Doesn't hurt to wish and dream right? 

Busy Busy Family

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of fun trips, fun family reunions, fun company and a whole lot of craziness! I actually am back to normal life as of TODAY after two weeks of all this busyness. I am feeling the consequences of putting Sawyer through two weeks of no routine and passing him around to grandmamas, babysitters and cousins. Literally within two weeks we have a little strong willed toddler on our hands. I'm still in culture shock with what to do with this new attitude he is showing off. 

Anyway, back to the fun stuff...

First we had Brooke and the kids come stay with us two weeks ago when Becca my niece was a flower girl in a wedding here for Heather Lawson. We had such a good time!

Cutest Flower girl I've ever seen! 

Seriously can her family get any cuter?! 

Then Brookie took Sawyer back to Little Rock to my mom where her and my mom kept all 4 babies for a few days while Andrew and I headed off to Mexico. Sawyer spent half the week with my fam and then half the week with Andrew's mom. 

I think she had a full car... :)

Then we headed off to Mexico!

More Pics to come!

And then we headed back to Little Rock where Andrew and I went to Leah Daniels' beautiful wedding and spent time with all of my sisters and their kids for a few days. If one of them is ever in town I will drop everything to see them. We had so much fun with the cousins and spending time with sisters never gets old. Here is a recap of some cousin time!

Playing at the water sprinkler pool at the LR Athletic Club. I think he could of stayed all day!

Conner and Will at the pool

Kate taking care of Sawyer. Such a sweet big cousin!

Pizza and ice cream with Dae and Papa. I wasn't here to witness this picture but obviously Sawyer liked this meal!

Sweetest baby I've ever been around. Doesn't require hardly anything! Sweet Jack :) 

(Looks like Sawyer to me, what do you think?)

Playing in Papa's office. Their favorite place to be, obviously. 

This picture is so funny to me b/c Becca has her hands over both the boys. It is truly impossible to get cute pics with all 4 of these kiddos together. 

The Crazy Boys! Love these two boys! 

So now we are back resuming life and trying to catch up. I am dealing with a fussy Sawyer who is having some behavior problems all of the sudden... sigh.... and he's having what we think is asthma... sigh louder! Anyway, we'll get back to the swing of things and hopefully Sawyer will start to act like himself again soon. 

Hope everyone has had a good week! Sorry for the never-ending post!