A Very Snoopy Birthday!

Two years ago yesterday, we welcomed our sweetly handsome Logan Steven into the world and into our family. He's the perfect addition to our family. He's funny and sweet and curious about anything and everything. We have so enjoyed getting to know all of the aspects of his personality, and look forward to seeing what God has for him in his life.

If you are friends with either Peter and I on Facebook, you know that Logan has a strong love for his stuffed Snoopy doll, who he named, "Baboo". Baboo goes everywhere and anywhere, he is Logan's constant sidekick. It's adorable. Also, thanks to Logan's intense Snoop-fection, I have perfected the art of washing stuffed animals. Who woulda thunk he'd fall for a WHITE dog? He shows every inch of our boy's dirty endeavors.

So it was kind of a no-brainer that we would throw Logan a Snoopy themed second birthday party. With the help of some talented family members, it was a definite success.

The cake was made by his Auntie Alayna:

And grandpa Steve drew him the Snoopy cutout:

Some other highlights from his party were lots of gifts with wheels attached, another Logan favorite in life, as well as Spiderman and a new tool set. He could not be fooled by the soft tool set we bought him for Christmas last year. He likes tools like daddy's.

Peter and I also created a new Snoopy candy buffet theme for Logan's party. Starring none other than the whole Peanuts gang. We had so much fun working together to create this one. Our Frozen candy buffet that we debuted 6 months ago was inspired by Clara and her love of Frozen, as she was having a Frozen themed party.

The whole Peanuts gang inspired the various candies and the display, it was really cute and Logan loved it. My favorite thing about the candy buffets is how much LESS decorating is required to make the party come together, and kids and adults alike love it.

Keep your eyes on our Facebook page for an upcoming Logan's Birthday Special!

Babies & Toddlers: We Love the Littlest!

Today, Peter and I had a really fun opportunity to bring A Sweet Event to the Baby & Toddler Expo at the Miller Hill Mall in Duluth. Through various events, marketing, and partnerships, we've grown to love working with the mall's team.

The mall's not only been fantastic to us as business owners, but the good Lord knows we spend enough time there as a family. Especially during the long Minnesota winters. You can definitely often find us at Barnes & Noble at the train table or Lego table among other places. We also have some vending accounts there.

Needless to say we were very excited to participate in their Baby & Toddler Expo, which is designed specifically to provide information, products, and services to parents of the littlest of the littles. We are just getting out of the baby & toddler life with Clara, and Logan is definitely in toddler stage, maybe even in baby stage depending on the level of denial I'm experiencing on that particular day.

So we really resonate and identify with parents of the littlest. We are still in the throes of diapers, sippy cups, midday naps, car seat safety, and sticky hands. We know life can go from pure joy to pure irritation in a blink of an eye. We know as parents of the littlest that your kids will never need you more than they need you at the baby and toddler stage, and we are soaking it all in. What else are you going to do? Sleep? (Cue hearty laugh from other littlest parents.)

Our candy buffet service is the chief service we are most excited to bring to these parents. One mom said it best to us at our table today, "So, I can just hire you guys, and you make it look like I spent hours on Pinterest for my kid's birthday party?" Yeah. That's exactly the idea.

Because really, if you have a baby or a toddler, who has time for that? It's a miracle to get a shower or cook a meal at home. Don't let Pinterest make you feel inadequate as a party planner for your kid again. We reject you, Pinterest! (I'm just kidding. Look at you, Pinterest, with all your tasty recipes and vintage farmhouse decor ideas, I can't stay mad at you.)

But really, as parents who are half in, half out of this stage, we get it. We know you want to throw your child an amazing birthday party that pictures will tell of your love and devotion for years to come, but you can't even remember what year it is when you write a check. Our themed candy buffets aim to take all of the work out of it for you. We do all the Pinterest-worthy work for your party, and maybe that leaves you with enough time to actually sit down and eat a meal. Maybe.

Thanks to Pretty Princess Parties for making our candy buffets EXTRA Pinterest worthy!

We loved the chance to meet many of you at the Expo today! The cupcake vending machine was another big hit of the day.

If you didn't get a chance to stop by and say hi, here's a few pictures of our booth. As usual, Peter and I had a great day working side by side, and my mom and dad were great enough to take the kiddos for us today so we could both be there.

Next month, we are also going to be meeting with our good friends at Pretty Princess Parties and Diamond MC Entertainment to start work on a new event for the area we know you will love. Make sure to keep up with us on the blog, on A Sweet Event Facebook, and with the Pretty Princesses for lots of forthcoming details!

Introducing... Popcorn Buffets!

We are very excited to introduce a line we added to A Sweet Event recently, popcorn buffets! We have found them to be a great extension of the candy buffets we have been offering for some time.

So far, the popcorn buffets have made an appearance at two events, a wedding and the Pretty Princess picnic in Duluth that Clara recently attended. The picnic was put on by Pretty Princess Parties in Duluth, and as usual, they did a fantastic job. They add so much fun to every event they do. I love all of the memories Clara will have from these events, as we all know she loves all things princess! Here are some photos from both events including Clara with her current favorite princesses at the picnic- Anna and Elsa from Frozen.

If you are in the Duluth or Twin Ports area, and are looking to add a unique touch to your wedding or next event, consider one of our popcorn buffets, available now!

Business, Money, and Cute Kids

Northland Vending is a business that doesn't really know a life separate from kids. I was 7 months pregnant with our first when we started up. So both of them, 4 years and 21 months, have been in the mix in some way or another from day one.

Most of our customers and business partners know our kids really well. They have gotten to do a lot of things, meet a lot of people, and see a lot of places they normally wouldn't have if we didn't own this business, which is pretty cool.

Separate from the obvious kid lottery jackpot of being surrounded by candy all the time or getting to score the goodies for Business Members only at Sam's Club, we're also being diligent about teaching them about how to run a business and steward their money wisely. Maybe they won't have any interest in running their own businesses one day, but the basic principles of running a good business and spending your money wisely hold true no matter what you decide to do with your life.

One thing I've liked so far about homeschooling Clara, is that I can customize her curriculum however I choose. Now, before you go thinking I'm one of those moms that adheres to the practice of "unschooling" by letting her ride roller coasters to learn physics, I assure you, she is receiving a formally accredited education with materials from people who know what they're doing (Ie; NOT me). However, I get to intertwine principles and basics that I deem important- such as: business, money, bible, and compassion just to name a few.

So how does Clara earn money? Well, she helps out around the house. After all, she lives here too. For small jobs, we don't pay her- it's all for the sheer dynamic joy of being apart of this absolutely amazing family (stop laughing). For larger jobs, we do pay her. Going out and helping Peter with the vending route is considered a larger job. The money goes in her piggy bank. She saves it for as long as she wants. Sometimes that's been a couple of weeks, sometimes a matter of hours (thank you, ice cream truck).

Now, if I ask her to do something around the house and she does not do it, the answer is simple. She pays me to do it. (That may sound harsh at the onset, but what do you do when you have a job around the house you don't want to do? That's right. Advantage, plumber). It's my market. I charge what I want. It's usually in line with how much extra change I need to park downtown at the YMCA that day. She's getting better and better about not letting it get to that point, but it sure beats yelling and 50 exasperated reminders. She gets one reminder. If she doesn't do it, those George Washingtons are all mine.

Side note: you may think that sounds like the Love & Logic style of parenting, you're absolutely right. I TOTALLY subscribe to their theories of parenting, they work like magic, and if they had tambourines I could bang and carnations I could hand out, I'd be all over it.

If Clara wants something and she doesn't have the money, she doesn't get it- novel, right? But let me tell you, it totally cuts down on the Target-tantrums. Now, the conversation goes something like this:

Clara: "I want this princess/Barbie/dress/Lego set/doll/puzzle/anything-on-the-entire-shelf"
Me: "Sweet! How are you going to pay for that?"
Clara: "Save my money....."

And we walk away, and I think about what an awesome kid she is before she carelessly spills her high-fructose corn syrup fruit snacks all over the floor. Sorry Target.

That's it. You may think your kids are too young to learn about money, but kids are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. You give them a few basic principles even most adults no longer subscribe to, and they can figure it out.

As our first "employees", our kids have learned a lot already about managing money, manners, honesty, and going a good job. Anyone can teach these qualities to their kids of course, that's why I give the examples, but we are just blessed with a good platform that gives us lots of practical application. As they're getting older, I'm trying to implement other good money lessons like giving your money away and praying about important financial decisions, just to name a few.

All that to say, today Logan joined in on the work of the day and earned his first $2. He doesn't yet have a piggy bank, so he's banking at the Cooperative Pig of Clara, but it was a pretty exciting day for all involved.

Summer in Ashland

Beautiful summer days have been few and far between so far this summer. So last week, when a gorgeous day hit when Peter was heading out to Ashland to service the vending machines at the college, I decided it was a great day to load up the kids and take them along.

We usually play at a playground while Peter is at the college. Our "usual" playground, while very nice, had a lot of high places that we wide open. And Logan is at an age...oh, how do I put this....where he likes to defy death. Like, constantly. So we decided to try out a new park with fewer opportunities for toddler base jumping.

This new park we tried was very nice as well. For being a smaller town, Ashland sure does have some nice playgrounds. It was a nice quiet morning playing in the sun with two of my favorite people in the world.

After Peter was done at the college, we decided to take full advantage of the beautiful day and go out to Bayfield. We walked around the little shops and then had a nice tax-deductible family lunch overlooking the lake.

Hope you are also enjoying these fleeting summer days!

Introducing our Super Hero Candy Buffet!

Peter and I feel tremendously blessed. We have a sweet, princessy (definition: little girl who loves all things princess) little girl. We also have our rough and tumble boy.

Getting to experience both genders as they grow has been a true joy in our family. This joy has spilled over into our business. We had a lot of fun putting together a Frozen candy buffet, for example, inspired completely by our own little princess and her love of that movie.

We've explored some other themed candy buffets for various events as well, and had a ton of fun. One theme we hadn't explored much until now, was a theme specifically for boys.

Enter the Super Hero candy buffet.

My tremendously talented husband put it all together, and we are really thrilled to introduce it to you. It includes: Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman.

What other themes would you like to see in our candy buffets? Be sure to let us know!

How We Lost Over 100 Pounds While Operating a Candy & Cupcake Business

This past January (completely unrelated to the new year), my husband and I started a weight loss journey together that has proven to be very successful, even while we run our own vending, candy buffet, and cupcake vending machine business. Meaning, at any given time there are pounds of candy, chips, chocolate, soda, or cupcakes in our home. We don’t have a garage, shop, or any place for our inventory, it lives with us. Picture having a convenience store as your pantry- without the clerk to judge you while you check out. That’s my house.

Together, we’ve lost over 100 pounds so far. I’ve lost 43 pounds and Peter’s lost 58 pounds. I have about 11 more pounds to go to reach my goal. I told myself once I got to a medically-defined “healthy” weight for my height, I’d write a blog post to share my story, and hopefully help others. No big secrets here, but hopefully maybe even some reinforcements can encourage you if you’re in the same boat.

Here’s a before and after for ya!

Disclaimer: Peter did not want to post any “after” photos until he was closer to his goal. But he looks amazing. Seriously, I'm SO proud of him!

First I will say, we don’t have any less going on in our lives than anyone else. My husband works full-time at a restaurant that serves delicious food, I work part-time from home, I have young children at home with me, all day long, I homeschooled my daughter 5 days a week up until “summer”, I have a home to keep up with, and I help my husband run our vending business. We have a lot going on like everyone else, but we did it. I’m not saying, “If we can do it, anyone can”, because we worked our butts off. However, if you WANT to do it, here’s how:

Find Good Support

Our first support was eachother. We both needed to lose weight and we did it together. We encouraged eachother, and made the right choices together. Peter and I have always accomplished more together than we have separately, and this is no exception. This is 100% OUR success, not mine or his.

Secondly, we got a membership to the YMCA in Duluth. We chose the YMCA in particular because of their Kid’s Club program. We can drop the kids off to play for up to two hours per day with our family membership and get a workout in. It’s a fantastic program that’s the perfect support for families with young kids at home in particular. The kids love going to the Kid’s Club. The membership is very affordable for all that’s included and they have income-based membership prices as well. Their classes for kids are also way more affordable for members. Clara’s been able to take swimming and gymnastics classes at a great price thanks to our membership. It’s a total win for the whole family.

We also had our entire extended families supporting us along the way.

Find an Exercise You Love

One thing I used to hate. Running. Know what I hated more than running? Treadmills. And ellipticals. And bikes that also went nowhere. I find it unnatural to put so much sweat and energy into something and get nowhere. Peter, however, likes running. And treadmills. To each his own hamster wheel.

So, our first week of having a Y membership I tried a Zumba class, and I LOVED it.  Sure, this photo is incredibly accurate, even today, but the point is I actually LIKE it. 

I want to go to Zumba. It's a TON of fun. I load the kids in the car like there’s a 2 for 1 deal on double stuff Oreos. Not that I know how fast that is from personal experience…

If working out isn’t your thing, I get it. I thought for a long time it wasn't my thing either. But try some different things. Try a group exercise class. Or if you don’t have a gym membership, there’s a ton of workout videos for free on YouTube. On my non-Zumba days, I usually would work out to free Jillian Michaels workouts on YouTube. Her “Banish Fat, Boost Your Metabolism” is particularly horrifying. I may or may not have laid face down on my living room floor begging the TV for mercy.

After several months of just doing Zumba and Jillian Michaels workouts, I got back on a treadmill. I could easily run 2 miles immediately without getting tired. Now, I don’t mind running, because I can actually do it. Peter and I are even planning on running a 5K together next year. However, I still prefer Zumba any day of the week!

Count Your Calories

One thing I found I was horrible at, was guessing calories. (This is ESPECIALLY true if you are in a restaurant, so eat as much as you can at home. The same meal at home is usually double the calories or more at a restaurant).  So we have found a big key to our success this time around was counting our calories.

Peter and I both used the MyFitnessPal app to count our calories every day, every meal. I HIGHLY recommend this app. (They have a web-based program for people without smartphones as well). About 95% of what you are eating on a daily basis is already in their database. It takes a few seconds when you sit down to eat, and you’ll find it really eye opening if you haven’t been counting your calories.  Seriously, even if you think you know, try it for a week.

You can also input your exercise to add to your calorie goal for the day, which I found handy since my calorie limit for the day is currently only 1200 calories, and track your weight loss.

Don’t Diet

One thing I’ve always hated, is the quote “It’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change”.  It doesn’t really help much. I’ve tried A LOT of diets the last 6 years. If it’s title ends in the word “Diet” or “Plan”, I’ve likely done it and not seen any results, or if I have, they were very short-term.

One thing I’ve learned, you can eat through any workout plan, so it’s important to find foods that aren’t going to un-do everything you’re doing. I don’t eat kale, or drink spinach smoothies, or eat raw eggs.  I had two secret weapons this time that I found allowed me to eat like a normal person without feeling deprived, all while not being too high in calories, and the weight just fell off. So my best advice is, eat the way you always have- just find ways to modify your favorite recipes with healthier ingredients, reduce your portion size, or both.

My first secret weapon was Pinterest. My social media love. You can find all kinds of great recipes to your tastes that are fantastic. Many have great ideas for simple swaps that really lower the calories. For example, did you know that plain Greek yogurt is a really good substitute for sour cream? Seriously, try it. Check out my Pinterest boards for my favorite recipes and weight loss tips below. Please be advised “healthy” is an subjective term. Maybe it’s not a complete balanced meal, but it’s not loaded in calories either. Feel free to follow any of my boards!

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/weight-loss/

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/healthy-chicken-recipes/

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/healthy-treats/

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/healthy-pasta-recipes/

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/healthy-sides/

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/multiple-healthy-recipes/

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/healthy-lunches/

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/healthy-breakfast/

http://www.pinterest.com/kristinjoy1026/healthy-dinners/

My second food weapon was the book “Cook this, not that”.  We loved the recipes in there, they are delicious. Did we have nachos for lunch instead of salads sometimes? Well yes, yes we did. Don’t take my word for it. The proof is in the pants size.

http://www.amazon.com/Cook-Skinny-Comfort-Foods-pounds--/dp/B00D57E7JA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1402498004&sr=8-3&keywords=cook+this+not+that

Nothing Tastes as Good as Being Thin Feels?

I’ll leave you with this. We’ve all heard (especially the ladies) “nothing tastes as good as being thin feels”.  I don’t know what supermodel coined it, or how it got to be so popular, because it’s just not true. Oreos taste as good as being thin feels. Cheesecake tastes as good as being thin feels. Cheese fries taste as good as being thin feels. Pasta tastes as good as being thin feels.  Any food vice you have tastes good or better than being thin feels.

However, this is my one and only earthly body. This is the heart, lungs, and organs I’m counting on to watch my kids grow up into a little man and woman of God, to dance with my husband at their weddings, to live this beautiful life right alongside him, my best friend, beholding all God has to offer. This is the heart that will be beating in my chest when I hold my grandbabies (that I don’t have to raise!) This is all I have. And taking care of it for THOSE reasons? Nothing tastes that good. 

Not even Oreos. 

Not even at 2 for 1.