frozen birthday party!

When my soon-to-be eight-year-old declared she would like a Frozen Party, I scoured Pinterest for ideas--there are almost too many to choose from! The Happy Birthday sign was purchased HERE. I tacked up white lights and covered with cello wrapping paper and draped some pink tulle over the top and sides.

My fabulous mom made the "Anna" dress for Faith. We pieced together a couple of random patterns and picked out the colors of her dress. She was thrilled! I drew and colored OLAF out of tagboard and we found some sticks in our yard. Isn't he cute?

For a simple centerpiece, I grabbed some sticks and spray painted them white. Did you know you can purchase cheap white spray paint at Wal-mart for $0.97? I then added some spray adhesive and some thick clear glitter that I had on hand--though it's hard to see in this picture. It was really pretty in person. I already had the blue glass beads--purchased long ago at the Dollar store.

We aren't coffee drinkers, but I happened to have a ton of coffee filters on hand that I had used for a previous craft. Instant snowflakes! I used clear thread and scotch tape to put them up.

This cake was relatively easy to make. I bought a blue-raspberry box mix and a pink lemonade box mix and made two separate 9-inch cakes. I froze them until the day of the party. 

 I found this cake HERE. I used her frosting recipe which my frozen cake kept cool during the party. I used her blue ice candy recipe and didn't have great success because I didn't have a candy thermometer. I then purchased a candy thermometer and followed the candy directions on the box and was successful. I love the icy look!

The only healthy part of my table was the Olaf parts. Carrots, stick pretzels, raisins and ranch dip. We also had blue Jello cubes, blue and pink jelly beans and mini-chocolates with Frozen wrappers.

Water bottle wrappers purchased HERE.

I had no idea these were so easy to make. Insert straw, dip in water and then dip in sprinkles. 

These candy wrappers were a part of the download I purchased HERE for $1.99.

As the girls arrived, they made "Frozen" bracelets from Oriental Trading. They weren't really "Frozen" bracelets, but they had snowmen and snowflakes and the girls loved them.

This game was a HIT! I split the girls into two teams. Each team was given a full roll of toilet paper, gloves, a hat, a scarf, a long carrot for the nose, and three pieces of coal cut out of black construction paper--with scotch tape on the back. Whichever team could use the entire roll of toilet paper first and decorate their snowman was the winner. SO FUN! The carrot "nose" went in the mouth which they all found to be hilarious!

We played the game "Minute-to-Win-it" with mini marshmallows and straws. Each girl bent her straw in half and had to pick up marshmallows ONE AT A TIME and put in their empty bowl. Whichever girl had the most marshmallows in one minute was the winner. We did this in pairs until all the girls had participated. The two girls with the highest scores had a play off round in the end.

About to blow out the candle!

We made "Olaf Parts" treat bags to send home with the girls. Pretzel sticks, candy corn, mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips. The treat bag toppers are from the same $1.99 download.

Such a fun and memorable birthday party . . . now if only I could get the song, "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" out of my head!

doll birthday party

This morning we celebrated Faith's 6th birthday! (Her real birthday is in 2 weeks.) She requested a doll birthday party and asked that everyone bring their favorite doll. As we were in Southern CA until Wednesday, I didn't have a ton of time to prepare . . . but thankfully, this was one of the easiest parties I have ever put on!

It's become a tradition each year for my mom to sew the girls a dress. In the past they've chosen material based on the theme of the party. This year, Faith requested a rainbow dress and a matching dress for her doll. She was thrilled with the outcome! Thanks Grandma!

Faith came up with all of the party activities herself. First, she requested to play three songs on her harp for an audience . . . this is her attentive audience. Faith even sang the words to the songs as she played!

Next, she wanted the dolls to play musical chairs. The dolls had to quickly find a seat when the music stopped! After musical chairs, we played hide the dolls and Faith was the seeker. All of the girls had SO much fun hiding their dolls and then telling the birthday girl if she was cold or hot. After hide and seek, the girls played dolls and had fun running around the house.

We had lunch and snack for the big girls and for the dolls. I'm pretty sure the big girls consumed both plates. Hot dogs + Little Smokies, Goldfish + Baby Goldfish, marshmallows + mini-marshmallows, big pretzels + mini-pretzels, chocolate chips + mini-chocolate chips. I also made mini-cupcakes for the dolls which the girls brought home for their siblings.

Lunch time was LOUD. These girls can TALK!!! I think the only time they all had their mouths closed was when I prayed over the food!

I purchased these 3-inch dolls at the Dollar Tree. Each came with an outfit, a stove and a pot. I set them aside for the girls to take home with their dolls after they ate their cupcakes.

Decorating these cupcakes was easy. I'm sure they could look more professional if I had the proper equipment, but a table knife worked fine for me and I was able to make a frosting "dress" on each doll. Once you insert the doll into the cupcake, put the doll arms in the air while you frost. Upon completion, lower the arms and she looks like she is wearing a beautiful pink gown.

Along with the dolls, the girls each took home a baby bottle (purchased from Michaels in the baby shower section) that we filled with Skittles.

We had a fun morning! Jessica and Becca--you were missed! Happy Birthday Faith!

train party

We had Seth's 2-year birthday party this past weekend. He is obsessed with trains, so we of course had a train party. I attempted this cake that I found on Family Fun's website. Let's just say, I think I'll keep my creative finger in scrapbooking and not cake decorating . . . this took me forever and I stink at getting the frosting smooth. It still resembled a train though and that was the point, right?

I was originally drawn to this cake because of the popcorn "steam." So easy!

This little man is such a delight! 

The kids were more interested in eating the candy off the trains than in the actual cake itself!

Happy 2nd birthday Seth!

*Note to my scrappy friends . . . I've got some layouts in the works to share soon . . . I took a whole month off of scrapbooking!

i have a seven-year-old

It's official . . . I have a seven-year-old. I was just talking with a neighbor last night and we were discussing how long each of us have lived in our cul-de-sac. We moved in when Paige was 10 weeks old. I remember painting my kitchen red while Paige happily bounced in the exersaucer at 4 months old. I can't believe we have lived here that long . . . and I still haven't decorated my downstairs guest bathroom . . . I digress. Anyway, yesterday we had her birthday party at the place she takes gymnastics--so much fun!

The red-faced, sweaty kids!

This was our first time ever having one of our kids parties NOT at our house. I only had it off site because they were running a half price deal and that was about the amount of money it would cost me to throw a party at home. My friend Carrie tells me that I will never go back to having a party at home! I will admit, it was nice not prepping a ton of food and not having to clean my house before and after. Time will tell when the next party rolls around . . .

Our tradition of decorating the door continues. The never know what they will wake up to. She was most excited about the electric toothbrush that she gets to decorate herself! Today we are taking the day off of homeschooling and going to the mall to play and have lunch--per her request! 

Happy Monday morning!

happy birthday faith!

It was my little girls 5th birthday yesterday. I can't believe she is five already . . . I know that EVERYONE says that about their kids, it's nothing new.

We have a few traditions . . . Tim always takes the day off of work for each child's birthday, we decorate their door with a few small gifts and we all go out for breakfast together. Yesterday we went out to Mimi's for breakfast . . . with a coupon of course! We fed the whole family for $11. Score.

Last Saturday we had the NEMO party that Faith wanted to have. When she turned four, she said she wanted to have a Nemo party when she turned five--she didn't forget. She has never seen the movie, Finding Nemo, but she has seen plenty of Nemo in the stores. She is really into fishing . . . we got Faith her very own fishing pole for her birthday . . . she was so excited! Back to the party . . . All of the outdoor games I had planned . . . cancelled . . . rain.

We always take a picture in front of this birthday sign which I made in MOPS almost 7 years ago! The red balloon fell off in storage this year and my husband kindly hot glued it back on. I didn't notice till I uploaded the photo that he glued it on no where near the "string" it is supposed to be on--ha! My mom made this Nemo dress just for the party. I love the "ocean" look she created with the silky blue top layer. Faith was SO excited to wear this!

Blue ocean punch and blue Jello with gummy fish were a treat for the kids. The jelly beans were for guessing . . . whoever got closest to the number got to take the jar home. Not one kid guessed over 100 jellybeans . . . there were 156. Guess we need to work on estimating . . .

They had to drop a clothespin into the fish bucket below. And of course they won a fish!

Each child got to go fishing for a prize over the banister. They couldn't see the adult below hooking on all the prizes. The kids loved using a real pole!

Tim scored this jump house at a garage sale for $15 a few years back. It has been a lifesaver during really rainy weeks. It was perfect for the party!

I love to make my kids cakes, but Wal-mart wanted to make it this year.

The party-goers. Such great kids.

Happy Friday everyone!

farm birthday party

We had Seth's one year party yesterday, and of course we went with a farm theme seeing as we have been farmers for the past year . . . by the way, did I mention our ducks now have a swimming hole?

I spent entirely too much time making these party hats. If I wasn't a scrapbooker, I probably wouldn't have bothered . . . do you ever go to all the trouble of making something just for a cool picture (and layout)? Yeah, it's one of my many faults. My husband was rolling his eyes while I was making them.

In case you have a farm party coming up, here are some close up shots of the hats. Think LOTS of hot glue!

I got the cake and hat idea out of a kids birthday party magazine I've had for three years. This cake was actually pretty easy to put together. The key was taking a can of frosting and adding one cup of powdered sugar to it--this made the frosting extra stiff for putting the barn and silo together. The frosting on the cake I made from scratch.

He wasn't really sure what to do with the cake . . . and I'm okay with that.

He had plenty of kids to show him how to open his gifts.

A little boy is not complete without a lightsaber, right? I know these are intended for children over age three, but I will watch him carefully, he just loves the swords and sticks. Such a boy! Happy birthday little man!