It’s the three-week countdown to Halloween and if you haven’t gotten your costumes and candy yet, this is your final warning! While you’re at it, maybe you want to dress up your porch for all those darling trick-or-treaters. Kristy is never one to shy away from the festive furnishings, and this year is no exception . . . her porch is all decked out with scarily chic decorations. Your porch will look boo-tiful too with this fun and fabulous spooky season decor. See our inspiration below.

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Ding dong, it’s your brand new front door! Take your door from drab to fab with a fresh coat of paint! This wood look paint kit will make any ordinary door extraordinary. Kristy’s metal door (see the before look in the photo below) takes on a whole new vibe with a few coats of this paint . . . you’d never know the door isn’t real wood! Add a few carefully curated accents like lanterns, a welcome sign, and a gorgeous doormat and your front door will feel extra inviting.

Now for the fun stuff! Add your spooky touches like a Halloween wreath and doormat, and then bring on the bats. Drape some gauzy fabric on your furniture, hang a banner or two, and don’t forget your cart full of treats for your delivery drivers (see that post here)!!

Set the vibes with these colorful lights and hanging witches hats. Add some tabletop decor and let things get creepy cool once the sun goes down.

Don’t forget your frightening friends! This glamourous witch and this smiling skeleton are ready for the ultimate Halloween hangout. Grab your favorite beverage, a bucket of candy, and get ready to kick back and relax.

It’s the three-week countdown to Halloween and if you haven’t gotten your costumes and candy yet, this is your final warning! While you’re at it, maybe you want to dress up your porch for all those darling trick-or-treaters. Kristy is never one to shy away from the festive furnishings, and this year is no exception . . . her porch is all decked out with scarily chic decorations. Your porch will look boo-tiful too with this fun and fabulous spooky season decor. See our inspiration below.

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Ding dong, it’s your brand new front door! Take your door from drab to fab with a fresh coat of paint! This wood look paint kit will make any ordinary door extraordinary. Kristy’s metal door (see the before look in the photo below) takes on a whole new vibe with a few coats of this paint . . . you’d never know the door isn’t real wood! Add a few carefully curated accents like lanterns, a welcome sign, and a gorgeous doormat and your front door will feel extra inviting.

Now for the fun stuff! Add your spooky touches like a Halloween wreath and doormat, and then bring on the bats. Drape some gauzy fabric on your furniture, hang a banner or two, and don’t forget your cart full of treats for your delivery drivers (see that post here)!!

Set the vibes with these colorful lights and hanging witches hats. Add some tabletop decor and let things get creepy cool once the sun goes down.

Don’t forget your frightening friends! This glamourous witch and this smiling skeleton are ready for the ultimate Halloween hangout. Grab your favorite beverage, a bucket of candy, and get ready to kick back and relax.

We’ve got some special sales for you this week! Target Circle Week is in full swing, Amazon Prime Big Deal Days kicked off this morning, and Walmart just launched Walmart Deals!! That’s a lot of really awesome sales from three top retailers, and we are definitely ready to shop. We’ve rounded up some highlights from each sale so you can see what’s hot right now, and then take your time browsing because there is a TON to see! Check out our sales roundup below.

Amazon

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

The fall sale we’ve all been waiting for! It’s prime day in OctoberBig Deal Days are here and we are ready to shop! See a roundup of all the best deals on the Frugal and Thriving Amazon storefront.

Shop deals under $25

Shop deals on Amazon devices

Shop buzzworthy deals

Shop deals on fall favorites

Target

Target Circle Week has begun and these are sales you don’t want to miss! From home to fashion and everything in-between, Target has got you covered.

Shop up to 50% off kitchen items

Shop up to 50% off select toys

Shop 20% off Threshold furniture

Shop up to 40% off floorcare

Shop 30% off Threshold bed and bath

Walmart

And in case those sales weren’t enough, Walmart is coming in hot with Walmart Deals!! Deals up to 50% off?? Yes, please.

Shop deals for home

Shop tech deals

Shop deals on fashion

Shop deals on toys

red balloon

The anticipation of summer break for students and teachers starts in the month of May, but as June soon comes around so do the end-of-year school party planning! Room parents unite! Themes, games, goodies…nothing is left out during this exciting time of the school year. This event doesn’t have to break the bank either as most things were purchased from the $1.25 store. We’ve got the behind-the-scenes deets on how Kristy and Krista put together their festive and summer fun and circus/carnival end-of-year school parties!

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Photo Stations – An easy task with few supplies is all you need no matter your theme! Grab a tri-fold poster board, spray glue a tablecloth to it, then use construction paper to make the arrows and post. If you have a Cricut you can create the beach letters, or purchase sticker lettering – the hanging sun was a dollar store find. Have the students decorate felt frames with stickers or just grab some photo props!

A thick poster board with some decorative items like laminated signs, tinsel foil fringe and photo booth props is how this circus/carnival-themed photo backdrop was created. These photo booths can be used both outdoors and indoors, in case the weather isn’t cooperative.

Activities – Grab canvas tote bags, and again if you have a Cricut you can personalize them with each student’s name, or have the kids decorate them! Students can use fabric pens to sign each other’s bags and bring all of their party stuff home in them – such a creative and fun activity.

Sand art bottles and rock painting are a couple more artistic ways to celebrate the end of another school year. The bottles for the sand art are from the $1.25 store and another parent had some extra sand laying around so they were able to utilize that – look at how cute they turned out! Krista grabbed rocks from her garden and the students painted them, added their initials and year, and could either keep them or hide them around town for their friends to find!

Face painting is ALWAYS a hit no matter what kind of event you’re putting together, so it was an easy decision to add face painter to the lineup for the circus/carnival EOY party! If our readers are located in the South Jersey shore area, Amanda Desouza comes highly recommended! IG: MUABYAD

Games – The F&T fav...the prize punches make more appearances for both of these EOY parties! They are super easy to create and even more fun for the kiddos to play; just fill with fun prizes like temp tattoos, stickers, snap bracelets, and squishy toys and you’re ready to go. Use a disc drop game for some added flair so the kids can punch the cup based on whatever number they landed on!

Think classic games…you can’t have a carnival without ring toss, right, and this large outdoor blow-up ring toss game is the cutest! And who doesn’t love bingo?! Add on a colorful parachute paired with a beach ball, relay races, and water balloon toss using reusable water balloons for some team play, and voila!! These games will never go out of style and are perfect additions to a successful EOY celebration!

Snacks & Treats – Simple and sweet is all that is needed here. Simple is a cute little goody bag with some snacks like sliced fruit, Annie’s GF goldfish {always check for any classroom allergies}, and a juice box or small water. Popcorn is a fan fav, too, especially in those cute little popcorn bags! How sweet are the Ice-Pop filled buckets…all the summer vibes for the kids!

No matter what theme you choose or the size of your class, these EOY parties are always a hit and the kids who have worked hard all school year always have a blast. A big thanks to all of the parents like Kristy and Krista who go above and beyond to create these kinds of memories!

The anticipation of summer break for students and teachers starts in the month of May, but as June soon comes around so do the end-of-year school party planning! Room parents unite! Themes, games, goodies…nothing is left out during this exciting time of the school year. This event doesn’t have to break the bank either as most things were purchased from the $1.25 store. We’ve got the behind-the-scenes deets on how Kristy and Krista put together their festive and summer fun and circus/carnival end-of-year school parties!

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Photo Stations – An easy task with few supplies is all you need no matter your theme! Grab a tri-fold poster board, spray glue a tablecloth to it, then use construction paper to make the arrows and post. If you have a Cricut you can create the beach letters, or purchase sticker lettering – the hanging sun was a dollar store find. Have the students decorate felt frames with stickers or just grab some photo props!

A thick poster board with some decorative items like laminated signs, tinsel foil fringe and photo booth props is how this circus/carnival-themed photo backdrop was created. These photo booths can be used both outdoors and indoors, in case the weather isn’t cooperative.

Activities – Grab canvas tote bags, and again if you have a Cricut you can personalize them with each student’s name, or have the kids decorate them! Students can use fabric pens to sign each other’s bags and bring all of their party stuff home in them – such a creative and fun activity.

Sand art bottles and rock painting are a couple more artistic ways to celebrate the end of another school year. The bottles for the sand art are from the $1.25 store and another parent had some extra sand laying around so they were able to utilize that – look at how cute they turned out! Krista grabbed rocks from her garden and the students painted them, added their initials and year, and could either keep them or hide them around town for their friends to find!

Face painting is ALWAYS a hit no matter what kind of event you’re putting together, so it was an easy decision to add face painter to the lineup for the circus/carnival EOY party! If our readers are located in the South Jersey shore area, Amanda Desouza comes highly recommended! IG: MUABYAD

Games – The F&T fav...the prize punches make more appearances for both of these EOY parties! They are super easy to create and even more fun for the kiddos to play; just fill with fun prizes like temp tattoos, stickers, snap bracelets, and squishy toys and you’re ready to go. Use a disc drop game for some added flair so the kids can punch the cup based on whatever number they landed on!

Think classic games…you can’t have a carnival without ring toss, right, and this large outdoor blow-up ring toss game is the cutest! And who doesn’t love bingo?! Add on a colorful parachute paired with a beach ball, relay races, and water balloon toss using reusable water balloons for some team play, and voila!! These games will never go out of style and are perfect additions to a successful EOY celebration!

Snacks & Treats – Simple and sweet is all that is needed here. Simple is a cute little goody bag with some snacks like sliced fruit, Annie’s GF goldfish {always check for any classroom allergies}, and a juice box or small water. Popcorn is a fan fav, too, especially in those cute little popcorn bags! How sweet are the Ice-Pop filled buckets…all the summer vibes for the kids!

No matter what theme you choose or the size of your class, these EOY parties are always a hit and the kids who have worked hard all school year always have a blast. A big thanks to all of the parents like Kristy and Krista who go above and beyond to create these kinds of memories!

The anticipation of summer break for students and teachers starts in the month of May, but as June soon comes around so do the end-of-year school party planning! Room parents unite! Themes, games, goodies…nothing is left out during this exciting time of the school year. This event doesn’t have to break the bank either as most things were purchased from the $1.25 store. We’ve got the behind-the-scenes deets on how Kristy and Krista put together their festive and summer fun and circus/carnival end-of-year school parties!

Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Photo Stations – An easy task with few supplies is all you need no matter your theme! Grab a tri-fold poster board, spray glue a tablecloth to it, then use construction paper to make the arrows and post. If you have a Cricut you can create the beach letters, or purchase sticker lettering – the hanging sun was a dollar store find. Have the students decorate felt frames with stickers or just grab some photo props!

A thick poster board with some decorative items like laminated signs, tinsel foil fringe and photo booth props is how this circus/carnival-themed photo backdrop was created. These photo booths can be used both outdoors and indoors, in case the weather isn’t cooperative.

Activities – Grab canvas tote bags, and again if you have a Cricut you can personalize them with each student’s name, or have the kids decorate them! Students can use fabric pens to sign each other’s bags and bring all of their party stuff home in them – such a creative and fun activity.

Sand art bottles and rock painting are a couple more artistic ways to celebrate the end of another school year. The bottles for the sand art are from the $1.25 store and another parent had some extra sand laying around so they were able to utilize that – look at how cute they turned out! Krista grabbed rocks from her garden and the students painted them, added their initials and year, and could either keep them or hide them around town for their friends to find!

Face painting is ALWAYS a hit no matter what kind of event you’re putting together, so it was an easy decision to add face painter to the lineup for the circus/carnival EOY party! If our readers are located in the South Jersey shore area, Amanda Desouza comes highly recommended! IG: MUABYAD

Games – The F&T fav...the prize punches make more appearances for both of these EOY parties! They are super easy to create and even more fun for the kiddos to play; just fill with fun prizes like temp tattoos, stickers, snap bracelets, and squishy toys and you’re ready to go. Use a disc drop game for some added flair so the kids can punch the cup based on whatever number they landed on!

Think classic games…you can’t have a carnival without ring toss, right, and this large outdoor blow-up ring toss game is the cutest! And who doesn’t love bingo?! Add on a colorful parachute paired with a beach ball, relay races, and water balloon toss using reusable water balloons for some team play, and voila!! These games will never go out of style and are perfect additions to a successful EOY celebration!

Snacks & Treats – Simple and sweet is all that is needed here. Simple is a cute little goody bag with some snacks like sliced fruit, Annie’s GF goldfish {always check for any classroom allergies}, and a juice box or small water. Popcorn is a fan fav, too, especially in those cute little popcorn bags! How sweet are the Ice-Pop filled buckets…all the summer vibes for the kids!

No matter what theme you choose or the size of your class, these EOY parties are always a hit and the kids who have worked hard all school year always have a blast. A big thanks to all of the parents like Kristy and Krista who go above and beyond to create these kinds of memories!

Themes, invitations, decorations, sweets, entertainment, goodie bags…yes! That’s right! I am talking about planning kids’ birthday parties! Perfect timing for this post, since both Kristy and I recently planned and celebrated our sons’ second and fourth birthdays with family and friends! We’re going to take you behind the scenes of how we put together our kids’ birthday parties!

children playing with balloons on green grass field
Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Choosing a theme! This is where it all begins – figuring out themes has been quite fun since having four littles! Some of my son’s favorite things are balls, cars, and dinosaurs, so I knew that I would take one of those and play it up for him. I ultimately decided on a Jurassic World theme.

Kristy came up with her Super Mario theme because that is what her son is really into right now, and let’s be honest, it’s Mario…it has made a huge comeback this year and don’t act like you don’t know the words to the “Peaches” song by Jack Black! She said this was hands-down one of her favorite parties to plan…maybe it had something to do with the age (4 is one of her favorites!) or the fact that both of her kids were into this theme, and also both very into helping her out this year – a huge plus!!

Invitations! I like to use Zazzle for my invitations, and I can be pretty picky, so it took me awhile to find just the right fit for what I was looking for! I ended up going with a Two Wild Dinosaur one, and I was super happy with how they turned out!

Kristy uses these really cool digital birthday invitations from Etsy that give you such an extra flair when guests open them. It’s so fun that I’ll try one for the next planned party!

Entertainment! We usually do backyard birthday parties since we have two summer, one fall and one spring birthday, and the weather is typically nice enough to get away with it. This year we did a Jurassic World-themed bounce house from Life’s A Ball Rentals LLC and hired a local artist who does face painting and balloon twisting for our entertainment! We used Creative Juices by Kari – she’s truly amazing at what she does, and I highly recommend her as this is our second time booking her! Both of these entertainments are local to the South Jersey area and if you’re looking for an inflatable for your next event, Life’s A Ball Rentals is offering F&T followers an exclusive promo of $50 off any 1 unit when you mention this blog or Frugal & Thriving!

Kristy also had a bounce house, along with a lot of fun games and stations. She did a “pin the nose on Mario” game with prizes for the kids, a cotton candy station, and even a “create your own Mario face” station…how super is that?! She had lawn games like Connect 4, corn hole, and Jenga, as well as water tables for the kids to splash around with!

The Sweet Stuff! Yes, I am talking about the birthday cake, cupcakes, cake pops, etc. For me, I am big on doing cupcakes – they are easy, fun and the perfect size for guests! I usually go with a local baker or cottage baker because I like to support small business, but this year I went the Sam’s Club route! I went with 30-count cupcakes and a full-size cookie cake {Jurassic World theme of course}! The cupcakes had 15 of those rings that the kids could keep, but I also didn’t want anyone upset about not getting something, so of course I found these cute little dinosaur cake toppers and grabbed two packs and put them on the cupcakes that didn’t have a ring, and I placed the rest around the cookie cake! If you have a Sam’s Club membership, I do recommend their fresh bakery – they have so many themes to choose from, plus you can’t really beat the prices!

Kristy made this awesome snack station and got creative with food items that looked like items from the game – cheese balls for Fire Power, a veggie platter designed like the Fire Plant Power Up, Princess Peach Rings, Bowser Bones (lollipops), Colby jack cheese for Mystery Blocks (she put these in her absolute favorite RIGWA bowls – use exclusive code KRISTY10 for 10% off your order sitewide!!), and Mushroom Power Ups as marshmallow pops (marshmallow and melted chocolate). If you’re throwing your own Super Mario party and want some help with snack signage, check out our free printables page! She also typically uses her local grocery store (Shop Rite) for all of the catering and cake! When she placed an order in advance for pick-up, they offered her a 20% discount – this doesn’t always happen but even without the fantastic discount the food is always absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. Her guests are always so surprised when she tells them where she got it from! She had 3 artisan sandwich platters, a salad with dressing, and veggie platter for 20 people and it only cost her $111! That’s about $5 a person! Look into your local grocery store – you might be surprised at what they offer!

Decorations! I try to play it smart when it comes to decor for a birthday party – I try not to go too overboard and I am in-between subtle and borderline close to too much. With outdoor parties, the weather can be so unpredictable, and I try to plan accordingly, so I’ll pick decor that can be used both outdoors and indoors in case I need to pivot! This year I went with some adorable dinosaur signage that I could place on our vinyl fencing or indoors on windows/doors etc., as well as some removable wall decals to place around. I added some themed mylar balloons and odds and ends I found at a local store I frequent during party planning. The last handful of parties, I have gotten into backdrops and balloon arches, so I grabbed a large themed backdrop to snap some pics!

Kristy also grabbed a backdrop and some other Mario-themed party supplies including tablecloths, a banner, and disposable plates, cups and napkins. She even made these awesome balloon towers! She says that this one stumped her for a bit – this was the first time she ever made one, and trying to make a piranha plant without directions was interesting, to say the least! TIP: if you plan this and don’t wait until the day of like she did (whoops), you can get white dot stickers and place them on the red balloons to really give it that Mario feel.

TIP: Use glue dots instead of tape when putting decorations on walls/windows/vinyl etc. It’s less of a hassle to remove and doesn’t ruin your paint/drywall/vinyl!

Outfits! I think it drove my hubby nuts in the beginning, but now with as many themed parties as we’ve hosted, he’s just used to my shenanigans, and I always have themed shirts or outfits planned for the guest of honor and mom and dad! This year was no different! I got a “Rawr! I’m 2” shirt for my son and a “Motherhood / Fatherhood is a walk in the park” shirts for myself and my hubby! I am a hat person, so I even got myself a really cute themed dino mama hat to add in a little extra somethin’…it has four little dinosaurs to represent my four littles!

Kristy made this adorable tee for her son to wear on his big day…if you have a Cricut machine, it’s super easy to design any apparel to match your theme!

Favors! I came across these little dino-themed bubbles and my son LOVES bubbles! I originally was just going to leave them out for the kiddos to grab and play, but then I found these dinosaur eggs that I just couldn’t pass up on. I originally planned on doing a dino egg dig and excavation as an activity but the weather had different plans, so I ended up putting the dino eggs and bubbles in their pinata bags for them to take home! Speaking of pinata, I ended up filling ours with my son’s favorite lollies (aka dum-dums) and packs of fruit snacks!

Kristy had adorable Mario-themed bags with all types of goodies like temporary tats, snacks, stampers, PEZ-dispensers and other Super Mario-themed party favors!

Queens of themes? Kristy and I have had fun with past party themes, so if you are looking for theme inspo, I think that we’ve got you covered! I have done: Rainbow Room, Ladybug Garden, Pumpkins & White Pumpkin Painting Party, The Big O.N.E, Luau, Frozen in Summer, Taco TWOsday, Farm Friends, Unicorn Universe, and Mermaid Adventures. Kristy has done Three Rex, TWO Infinity and Beyond, Splish-Splash Under the Sea, Minnie Mouse Clubhouse, and Minions! Happy Planning!

happy birthday balloons hanging on the wall

Themes, invitations, decorations, sweets, entertainment, goodie bags…yes! That’s right! I am talking about planning kids’ birthday parties! Perfect timing for this post, since both Kristy and I recently planned and celebrated our sons’ second and fourth birthdays with family and friends! We’re going to take you behind the scenes of how we put together our kids’ birthday parties!

children playing with balloons on green grass field
Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure here.

Choosing a theme! This is where it all begins – figuring out themes has been quite fun since having four littles! Some of my son’s favorite things are balls, cars, and dinosaurs, so I knew that I would take one of those and play it up for him. I ultimately decided on a Jurassic World theme.

Kristy came up with her Super Mario theme because that is what her son is really into right now, and let’s be honest, it’s Mario…it has made a huge comeback this year and don’t act like you don’t know the words to the “Peaches” song by Jack Black! She said this was hands-down one of her favorite parties to plan…maybe it had something to do with the age (4 is one of her favorites!) or the fact that both of her kids were into this theme, and also both very into helping her out this year – a huge plus!!

Invitations! I like to use Zazzle for my invitations, and I can be pretty picky, so it took me awhile to find just the right fit for what I was looking for! I ended up going with a Two Wild Dinosaur one, and I was super happy with how they turned out!

Kristy uses these really cool digital birthday invitations from Etsy that give you such an extra flair when guests open them. It’s so fun that I’ll try one for the next planned party!

Entertainment! We usually do backyard birthday parties since we have two summer, one fall and one spring birthday, and the weather is typically nice enough to get away with it. This year we did a Jurassic World-themed bounce house from Life’s A Ball Rentals LLC and hired a local artist who does face painting and balloon twisting for our entertainment! We used Creative Juices by Kari – she’s truly amazing at what she does, and I highly recommend her as this is our second time booking her! Both of these entertainments are local to the South Jersey area and if you’re looking for an inflatable for your next event, Life’s A Ball Rentals is offering F&T followers an exclusive promo of $50 off any 1 unit when you mention this blog or Frugal & Thriving!

Kristy also had a bounce house, along with a lot of fun games and stations. She did a “pin the nose on Mario” game with prizes for the kids, a cotton candy station, and even a “create your own Mario face” station…how super is that?! She had lawn games like Connect 4, corn hole, and Jenga, as well as water tables for the kids to splash around with!

The Sweet Stuff! Yes, I am talking about the birthday cake, cupcakes, cake pops, etc. For me, I am big on doing cupcakes – they are easy, fun and the perfect size for guests! I usually go with a local baker or cottage baker because I like to support small business, but this year I went the Sam’s Club route! I went with 30-count cupcakes and a full-size cookie cake {Jurassic World theme of course}! The cupcakes had 15 of those rings that the kids could keep, but I also didn’t want anyone upset about not getting something, so of course I found these cute little dinosaur cake toppers and grabbed two packs and put them on the cupcakes that didn’t have a ring, and I placed the rest around the cookie cake! If you have a Sam’s Club membership, I do recommend their fresh bakery – they have so many themes to choose from, plus you can’t really beat the prices!

Kristy made this awesome snack station and got creative with food items that looked like items from the game – cheese balls for Fire Power, a veggie platter designed like the Fire Plant Power Up, Princess Peach Rings, Bowser Bones (lollipops), Colby jack cheese for Mystery Blocks (she put these in her absolute favorite RIGWA bowls – use exclusive code KRISTY10 for 10% off your order sitewide!!), and Mushroom Power Ups as marshmallow pops (marshmallow and melted chocolate). If you’re throwing your own Super Mario party and want some help with snack signage, check out our free printables page! She also typically uses her local grocery store (Shop Rite) for all of the catering and cake! When she placed an order in advance for pick-up, they offered her a 20% discount – this doesn’t always happen but even without the fantastic discount the food is always absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. Her guests are always so surprised when she tells them where she got it from! She had 3 artisan sandwich platters, a salad with dressing, and veggie platter for 20 people and it only cost her $111! That’s about $5 a person! Look into your local grocery store – you might be surprised at what they offer!

Decorations! I try to play it smart when it comes to decor for a birthday party – I try not to go too overboard and I am in-between subtle and borderline close to too much. With outdoor parties, the weather can be so unpredictable, and I try to plan accordingly, so I’ll pick decor that can be used both outdoors and indoors in case I need to pivot! This year I went with some adorable dinosaur signage that I could place on our vinyl fencing or indoors on windows/doors etc., as well as some removable wall decals to place around. I added some themed mylar balloons and odds and ends I found at a local store I frequent during party planning. The last handful of parties, I have gotten into backdrops and balloon arches, so I grabbed a large themed backdrop to snap some pics!

Kristy also grabbed a backdrop and some other Mario-themed party supplies including tablecloths, a banner, and disposable plates, cups and napkins. She even made these awesome balloon towers! She says that this one stumped her for a bit – this was the first time she ever made one, and trying to make a piranha plant without directions was interesting, to say the least! TIP: if you plan this and don’t wait until the day of like she did (whoops), you can get white dot stickers and place them on the red balloons to really give it that Mario feel.

TIP: Use glue dots instead of tape when putting decorations on walls/windows/vinyl etc. It’s less of a hassle to remove and doesn’t ruin your paint/drywall/vinyl!

Outfits! I think it drove my hubby nuts in the beginning, but now with as many themed parties as we’ve hosted, he’s just used to my shenanigans, and I always have themed shirts or outfits planned for the guest of honor and mom and dad! This year was no different! I got a “Rawr! I’m 2” shirt for my son and a “Motherhood / Fatherhood is a walk in the park” shirts for myself and my hubby! I am a hat person, so I even got myself a really cute themed dino mama hat to add in a little extra somethin’…it has four little dinosaurs to represent my four littles!

Kristy made this adorable tee for her son to wear on his big day…if you have a Cricut machine, it’s super easy to design any apparel to match your theme!

Favors! I came across these little dino-themed bubbles and my son LOVES bubbles! I originally was just going to leave them out for the kiddos to grab and play, but then I found these dinosaur eggs that I just couldn’t pass up on. I originally planned on doing a dino egg dig and excavation as an activity but the weather had different plans, so I ended up putting the dino eggs and bubbles in their pinata bags for them to take home! Speaking of pinata, I ended up filling ours with my son’s favorite lollies (aka dum-dums) and packs of fruit snacks!

Kristy had adorable Mario-themed bags with all types of goodies like temporary tats, snacks, stampers, PEZ-dispensers and other Super Mario-themed party favors!

Queens of themes? Kristy and I have had fun with past party themes, so if you are looking for theme inspo, I think that we’ve got you covered! I have done: Rainbow Room, Ladybug Garden, Pumpkins & White Pumpkin Painting Party, The Big O.N.E, Luau, Frozen in Summer, Taco TWOsday, Farm Friends, Unicorn Universe, and Mermaid Adventures. Kristy has done Three Rex, TWO Infinity and Beyond, Splish-Splash Under the Sea, Minnie Mouse Clubhouse, and Minions! Happy Planning!

Not that we ever need an excuse to eat tacos, chips, and guac, buutttt there is a whole day on the calendar for it every week…of course I am talking about Taco Tuesday! However, there is one more day that trumps just a regular Taco Tuesday and it happens once every 365 days – and of course that day is Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth day of May. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the victory of Mexico over the French army in 1962, but these days it’s more commonly dedicated to the culture and deliciousness that is Mexican food…and I am salivating writing this, y’all! To make this day even better, this year it lands on a Friday, or as I say “Fri-Yay,” and now that’s what I’m talking about! See our Cinco de Mayo celebration ideas below.

cooked food on a table
Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full details here.

If you are planning a fiesta like I am with some friends and your kiddos, you’ll want to stock up on some themed supplies and get out your themed decor! I have personally already made sure that I’ve located my shirt for such an occasion! If you have ever heard the phrase, “I’ve got my turkey pants on” (for Thanksgiving), well this is my taco shirt that I’ve had since my daughter’s “Taco Two’sday” birthday a couple years ago! Yes, I love tacos so much I dedicated a whole birthday party to them!

Bust out the margarita machine and glasses, cut the limes, grab the salt, sugar and tajin for your glass rimmer set, and gear up for some delish margaritas, whether you enjoy them with tequila or virgin! There are so many variations from frozen to without ice and garnished with lemon, lime, jalapeno or mint. You can cater to your palate with spicy, smoky, fruity or just a good ol’ old fashioned marg…the options are endless!

Let’s talk recipes! Esquites, aka Mexican street corn, has really taken off the last few years and I cannot get enough! This year I will be making a creamy and refreshing street corn salad using this recipe for our upcoming fiesta, as it’s so easy to create and really gets the taste buds excited! Check out the quick video on how to make it here!

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup queso fresco or cotija cheese
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 cup pickled red onion
  • 1 cup Roma tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Chips for dipping!

Directions:

  • Pan fry corn (dry) until charred and let cool
  • Mix mayo with all of the seasonings and set aside
  • Chop tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion and crumble the cheese
  • Add corn, tomatoes, cilantro, onions and jalapenos to dressing and mix
  • Fold in avocado and cheese and garnish
  • Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or eat with a spoon!
cooked food

“What pairs better than tacos and margaritas??” you may ask…how about FREEbee’s & deals!! Check out your local Applebee’s for deals from 5/1-5/7, and Buffalo Wild Wings has $5 strawberry margaritas from 3-5pm, $3 chips and salsa, and late-night deals like $4 queso and guac with chips! Chipotle is offering FREE delivery with promo CINCO23. This week, Hooters is offering insane $5 drinks and $2 shots along with $12.50 margarita pitchers! Moe’s Southwest Grill is giving the first 50 customers a FREE T-shirt! Jack in the Box is offering $3.50 breakfast burritos, $3 tiny tacos, and 2/$0.99 tacos! Miller’s Ale House has $2.99 house margaritas! Can you say ultimate date night?! CHEERS!

margarita glass on table

Not that we ever need an excuse to eat tacos, chips, and guac, buutttt there is a whole day on the calendar for it every week…of course I am talking about Taco Tuesday! However, there is one more day that trumps just a regular Taco Tuesday and it happens once every 365 days – and of course that day is Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth day of May. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the victory of Mexico over the French army in 1962, but these days it’s more commonly dedicated to the culture and deliciousness that is Mexican food…and I am salivating writing this, y’all! To make this day even better, this year it lands on a Friday, or as I say “Fri-Yay,” and now that’s what I’m talking about! See our Cinco de Mayo celebration ideas below.

cooked food on a table
Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post. See full details here.

If you are planning a fiesta like I am with some friends and your kiddos, you’ll want to stock up on some themed supplies and get out your themed decor! I have personally already made sure that I’ve located my shirt for such an occasion! If you have ever heard the phrase, “I’ve got my turkey pants on” (for Thanksgiving), well this is my taco shirt that I’ve had since my daughter’s “Taco Two’sday” birthday a couple years ago! Yes, I love tacos so much I dedicated a whole birthday party to them!

Bust out the margarita machine and glasses, cut the limes, grab the salt, sugar and tajin for your glass rimmer set, and gear up for some delish margaritas, whether you enjoy them with tequila or virgin! There are so many variations from frozen to without ice and garnished with lemon, lime, jalapeno or mint. You can cater to your palate with spicy, smoky, fruity or just a good ol’ old fashioned marg…the options are endless!

Let’s talk recipes! Esquites, aka Mexican street corn, has really taken off the last few years and I cannot get enough! This year I will be making a creamy and refreshing street corn salad using this recipe for our upcoming fiesta, as it’s so easy to create and really gets the taste buds excited! Check out the quick video on how to make it here!

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 cup queso fresco or cotija cheese
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 cup pickled red onion
  • 1 cup Roma tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup cilantro
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Chips for dipping!

Directions:

  • Pan fry corn (dry) until charred and let cool
  • Mix mayo with all of the seasonings and set aside
  • Chop tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, red onion and crumble the cheese
  • Add corn, tomatoes, cilantro, onions and jalapenos to dressing and mix
  • Fold in avocado and cheese and garnish
  • Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or eat with a spoon!
cooked food

“What pairs better than tacos and margaritas??” you may ask…how about FREEbee’s & deals!! Check out your local Applebee’s for deals from 5/1-5/7, and Buffalo Wild Wings has $5 strawberry margaritas from 3-5pm, $3 chips and salsa, and late-night deals like $4 queso and guac with chips! Chipotle is offering FREE delivery with promo CINCO23. This week, Hooters is offering insane $5 drinks and $2 shots along with $12.50 margarita pitchers! Moe’s Southwest Grill is giving the first 50 customers a FREE T-shirt! Jack in the Box is offering $3.50 breakfast burritos, $3 tiny tacos, and 2/$0.99 tacos! Miller’s Ale House has $2.99 house margaritas! Can you say ultimate date night?! CHEERS!

Heyyyy party people! Put on your party pants and your dancing shoes because we have got some awesome ideas for a bash that’s sure to be a blast. Get wild or mellow out, but either way your celebration will be a success with these items below.

WILD JUNGLE
Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post.

Folding Table | Canopy Tent | Inflatable Waterslide | Rolling Cooler | Bean Bag Toss Game | Bluetooth Speaker Lantern | Serving Tray | Jungle Paper Products | Jungle Balloon Decorations

Where are my wild ones?! This jungle-themed jamboree will have the party animals out and ready to play. Set up a canopy tent so you can keep your table of food and your cold beverages out of the sun, and decorate with a party kit. Blow up a bounce house (Red Card holders get an extra 5% off with these) and bring out the lawn games to keeps the kids entertained for hours. Put on your favorite playlist and get that party started!

HAWAIIAN LUAU

Inflatable Beverage Cooler | Inflatable Food Table | Grass Hula Skirts | Leis | Tropical Sunglasses | Margarita Glasses | Flamingo Paper Lanterns | Tropical Table Centerpieces | Hawaiian Paper Products | Tropical Balloon Decorations | Photo Booth Frame | Photo Booth Props

Aloha! Welcome to this luscious luau where the entertainment is endless, the drinks are cold, and the outfits are hot! Grab some complimentary party favors and take in the tropical decor of balloons, themed paper products, centerpieces, and paper lanterns. Take a few photos with these fun photo booth props and enjoy the laidback vibes of this Hawaiian celebration.

Thanks for reading! How will you be celebrating this summer? xo

Heyyyy party people! Put on your party pants and your dancing shoes because we have got some awesome ideas for a bash that’s sure to be a blast. Get wild or mellow out, but either way your celebration will be a success with these items below.

WILD JUNGLE
Frugal and Thriving may earn a small commission via affiliate links in this post.

Folding Table | Canopy Tent | Inflatable Waterslide | Rolling Cooler | Bean Bag Toss Game | Bluetooth Speaker Lantern | Serving Tray | Jungle Paper Products | Jungle Balloon Decorations

Where are my wild ones?! This jungle-themed jamboree will have the party animals out and ready to play. Set up a canopy tent so you can keep your table of food and your cold beverages out of the sun, and decorate with a party kit. Blow up a bounce house (Red Card holders get an extra 5% off with these) and bring out the lawn games to keeps the kids entertained for hours. Put on your favorite playlist and get that party started!

HAWAIIAN LUAU

Inflatable Beverage Cooler | Inflatable Food Table | Grass Hula Skirts | Leis | Tropical Sunglasses | Margarita Glasses | Flamingo Paper Lanterns | Tropical Table Centerpieces | Hawaiian Paper Products | Tropical Balloon Decorations | Photo Booth Frame | Photo Booth Props

Aloha! Welcome to this luscious luau where the entertainment is endless, the drinks are cold, and the outfits are hot! Grab some complimentary party favors and take in the tropical decor of balloons, themed paper products, centerpieces, and paper lanterns. Take a few photos with these fun photo booth props and enjoy the laidback vibes of this Hawaiian celebration.

Thanks for reading! How will you be celebrating this summer? xo