Purely February

February was introduced on the Roman calendar when they extended the calender from ten months to twelve.  I was added with January.  It comes from the word 'februa' which means purification or cleansing.  It is no wonder that the birthstone for February is the Amethyst which comes from the Greek word 'amethystos' which means sober.  The amethyst is believed to bring peace and calm to you and during this month its powers are heightened.  Amethyst is the traditional stone for the sixth wedding anniversary.

Amethyst was once considered more valuable than diamonds.  Because at one time purple dye was rare and expensive, it was reserved for royalty and the color purple came to symbolize power and prestige.  That's why amethyst with its hue ranging from lilac to black purple, can be found in the British Crown Jewels.  Ancient Egyptians and Greeks, also, adorned themselves with the gemstone.  The Greeks associated the gemstone with the god of wine and believed if you wore the gemstone or drank from a amethyst cup, it would ward off intoxication and overindulgence. 

The Greeks, also believed that an amethyst would sober the effect on those "drunk" on lover's passion.  Maybe another reason it's so fittingly February's birthstone.

Alternately, the Mystical Birthstone for the month of February is the Bloodstone.  The bloodstone is believed to increase courage and strength, and enhance self-esteem and self-appreciation.  It was thought to have the power to stop bleeding just by touching the stone and was said to heal a broken heart. 

The ancient Egyptians used the bloodstone to increase their strength and defeat their enemies magically.  In India today, powdered bloodstone is used as an aphrodisiac and in traditional medicines.

Just as the amethyst under the pillow is said to induce sweet dreams, the bloodstone is said to revitalize and induce dreaming.

The Zodiac for January 21-February 18 Aquarius (Air)  February 19-March 20 Pisces (Water)

Aquarius are erratic, unpredictable, stubborn, self-reliant, and philanthropic.  They can be interesting to be around because of their adventurous and active nature, but they become quite serious and sulky.  Aquarius are also very sensitive by nature.

Pisces are caring, artistic, perceptive, sensible and good-natured.  They have great imaginations that are perfect for story-telling.  Their capacity for love and their depth of understanding come from their highly sensitive nature.  Pisces seem to have a dual personality and are extremely compassionate and helpful.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.

Happy Birthday

With this being the beginning of a new year, it's also the beginning of a new age. My children have started telling me what they want for their birthday party and the nearest birthday is at least two months away.
My youngest daughter loves Hello Kitty, tea parties, and beauty pageants so she has decided she wants a Hello Kitty tea party pageant for her birthday. My oldest son says he wants to bring sports day to his party. This got me to thinking about birthday ideas (conventional and unconventional).
After the hit show My Super Sweet Sixteen, birthday parties have changed from the hot dog and nachos with a moonwalk to these extraveganzas. So for my daughter's very unconventional birthday party, everything will decorated with Hello Kitty and we will have activities set up based on pageant categories. Such as the Beauty category, there will be hair and makeup and for talent category, there will be a dance instruction.
These are some ideas for your child's birthday but whatever you do, you should take into consideration your child's age, interests, fears, and most importantly your BUDGET. 
Depending on how old your child and the child's guests are, you may not want to go too over the top. If your child has certain characters they love you should include them into the theme. Be careful though because if you have your child's favorite character there but your child is fearful of large strangers, they will be scared of the character. I found this out when my daughter wanted Dora the Explorer at her birthday, I wanted to make her so happy just for her to scream in terror and now she hates Dora.
My biggest demand is that all events stay within my budget and I am open to ideas that will accomplish that.  I have made cake pops and cupcakes myself in order to save on a baker.  But if you know someone who would be willing to do it as a gift for your child, that is great. Sometimes having activities set up is more cost efficient than a moonwalk. My children had a Micheal Jackson Experience station, a Archery area, and a tatoo station set up at one birthday party. This required two televisions, water, and removable tatoos. The children loved it and it was cost efficient. You can also buy popcorn or cotton candy machines at stores such as Wal-Mart or Target or on their websites.
Remember that every new year is important and every detail can make your event stand out over the rest. I will post pictures from my youngest daughter's party in March.
Good luck and happy planning.

--Brides Made Consulting is where dreams live and brides are made.