The Good Son Turns 2

So, The Good Son turned two over the summer. We had a cake and ice cream party. I have heard that the second kid always gets the shaft. 

Sorry about that kiddo. 

Actually, I try and alternate having one "big" party for the kids and this year was The Good Daughter's turn. Since TGD's birthday is at the end of June and TGS's is just two weeks later (to the date) AND 4th of July is squeezed between the two, I was a little over party planning. 

I know, I need to get my head checked.

I still managed to make a cute little set up for TGS, though. One of his first words was "car" so that dictated the theme.

Another shitty frosting job on the cake, but it was cute nonetheless.

And I created a banner and cars from generic clipart.

I wanted something colorful and bold for a boy.

I mean, look at that face.

Happy Birthday, Buddy!!

The Good Daughter Turns 5

So The Good Daughter turned 5 last month. 5!

It's trippy to me that she is now the age that I can actually remember being and its weird to think of what little snippets will actually stick to her grey matter.

This year she wanted an ALL THE FUCKING PRINCESSES!!! GILTTER!! PINK!!!1!1!!ZOMG!!!! party. Not being a fan of the mass produced disney stuff, I bought a party pack from Etsy, gillter-bombed everything and went typically nuts in the way I do for birthday parties.

Pink and purple were the dominate colors.

I made some turrets out of cardboard so if you squint, you could image you were walking into a castle gate.

A glitter sign welcomed everyone to the Royal Celebration.

Treat Bags greet guests on the way in so they don't forget to take them home with them. The bags were filled with princess candy, mini paint Tangled palettes, stickers, pencils, a notepad and bubbles.

I made centerpieces with all of the princesses. And I will say that finding something with all of them - Jasmine and Tiana, included - was kinda hard. TGD specifically asked for those two and I can't blame her. I Tiana is my second favorite princess (best dressed princess overall) so I'm not shocked TGD loves her too.

Ariel and Cinderella, all glittered up. Glitter, AKA the herpes of the crafting world, was a huge mistake. I am still finding glitter in the dining room a month later. I ended up with glitter in my hair, people.

Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, AKA the boring ones. The glitter did look cute.

Belle and Rapunzel, AKA the best princesses. Rapunzel got extra glitter.

Jasmine and Tiana, AKA TGD's requested girls. Tiana got some extra glitter. Two colors, too, natch.

More princesses and a pink castle cake.

I also made some construction paper turrets and pink chocolate stars.

Castle cake using one 9x13, one 8 inch round and 5 cupcakes with 3 sugar cones covered in pink chocolate.

I really need to work on my frosting skills.

The obligatory food photo. I wanted to keep the menu finger foods/tea party. Stuff that was light and you could pick up easily and not too messy. This year we had (starting from the window and working forward) cocktail weenies and meatballs, Cowboy Sushi dip with crackers, chips and french onion dip, chips and guacamole, veggies and dip, fruit and dip, tea sandwiches of ham, smoked cheddar and mayo, cucumber and cream cheese, and turkey, brie and pear, and BLT tomatoes.

Instead of making Cowboy Sushi, my most popular dish, I decided to make a dip out of it and save myself a ton of work. I threw all the ingredients (subbing dill relish, drained very well, instead of whole pickles) into a bowl, added a packet of green onion flavored powdered ranch dressing mix, and blended it until combined. I lined a mold with plastic wrap, spread the dip into the mold and refrigerated overnight. Easy.

Outside I decorated our official birthday party tent with more pink and purple princesses. The centerpieces were also out here.

And we got a princess castle bounce house.

Which The Good Son loved more than anyone. Even me, who jumped in that thing with him for an hour.

We also had some wading pools for the kids, since both kids have a summer birthday and they can get seriously hot outside. But look at that cutie!!

TGD had an amazing time too. This is how you can tell anal retentive tendencies run in my family. That is a present from my mother, a present of princess (Rapunzel and Belle) dress up clothes, in princess paper WITH Jasmine and Tiana. WIN!

Overall, TGD had an amazing time and ate entirely too much cake.

I love you, my fierce one. Here is to another great year!

Monster Birthday Bash! The Good Son turns ONE!

This post will be photo heavy, so excuse me as I slip into my attention whore panties.

I have had the pleasure of throwing four fabulous birthday parties for The Good Daughter, and I discover every time that I both love and hate it.

As an anal retentive, can't-see-the-forrest-for-the-trees type of person, I get caught up in the little things and love to make sure everything is matchy, matchy, fits the theme. And as a perfectionist, I kill myself to make everything as perfect as humanly possible, all while knowing I will never, ever get it the way I want.

But this year I was able to relax and enjoy everything. The meds must have kicked in. The theme for this year was Little Cute Monsters, since that's what The Good Son basically is.
 

I decorated the house with my standard door decor, pom poms and streamers.

We had a bounce house for the kids, as well as a wading pool and a monster can toss.

I continued the monster theme with cutouts for the tent and balloons in the party colors.

Pom Pom Monsters decorated the house.

As for the food, we had chips and dip, veggie pizza, fruit and dip, sandwiches, mac and cheese and deviled eggs.

I got cutesy as fuck with the theme and made eyeball toothpicks for the fruit tray. 

And made a monster box to hold the forks.

I also made a monster cake that featured eyeball cake pops. And try as I might, it was far from perfect.

TGS got his own smash cake.

I made monster treat bags for all the kids.

Each bad contained a monster sticker sheet, monster bouncy ball, monster duck and monster magnet craft.
 

The kids also got to adopt a monster plush.

 TGS was skeptical at first, unsure about the whole gift thing.

But soon enough, he warmed up to the idea.

Once we started to sing "Happy Birthday" to him, he was downright thrilled. 

And then cake happened.  

Overall it was an amazing day. All of the older kids were able to play on the swing set and in the bounce house and in the wading pools. The weather wasn't hot as fuck. Everyone was able to fill up on sugar and food and Holden felt the love of his amazing family.

Happy Birthday my little monster!!

~supply list~
Invitation: designed by me with clipart from Cloud Street Lab on Etsy
Decorations, food, cake and treat bags: made by me, inspired by Pinterest
Treat bag contents and plush monsters: Oriental Trading Co.

Rainbow Fest! The Good Daughter Turns 4

Hi my name is SarahBeth and I love to throw parties. I had two kids, just so I would have an excuse to make cakes and decorate shit. You are free to gawk at my obsession.

This year, The Good Daughter wanted a rainbow birthday party. It might have something to do with all the My Little Pony she has been watching, since Rainbow Dash is her favorite pony. Or it could have been the Pride Parade I have taken her to every year since she was born. I knew they would rub off on her. ;)

I will admit that when she told me her theme, my cold, small heart grew three sizes. I have loved rainbows since I was little. It was all the Lisa Frank. I am sure. So I loved the chance to have rainbows all over the house. And I got to get my craft on, which I love.

This year is a bit different than anything I have ever done for TGD ever. See, she and The Good Son have birthdays exactly two weeks apart. For the last three years, Abby's birthdays have been huge family affairs. Everyone comes and eats and hangs out and then a week later at the annual 4th of July family reunion, I give them all their thank yous.

This year was just a cake and ice cream party for Abby with the grandparents, since Holden (TGS) will have the BIG birthday this year. The plan is to alternate BIG parties with cake and ice cream ones until the kids can tell me what they want and hopefully, have some join pool parties or some shit.

Presenting - Rainbow Fest!!! Thanks Pinterest!

My shitty attempt at a cool background. FAIL.

Easy streamer and tissue paper decorations.

 

Welcome sign with more streamers.

b/c I have to have food to match the theme - a plate of rainbow veggies (tomatoes, carrots, pepper, cucumber, olives) and dip (not pictured), color goldfish, chips and dip and chocolate roll out cookies

rainbow roll out cookies, chips and dip and rainbow fruit (strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, honeydew, blueberries and grapes)

rainbow cake

I made a wand for the Birthday Girl, which she loved, along with the cookies.

For the first time ever, she loved her party, since she knew it was all about her. You can't help but love her little face as we sang Happy Birthday to her.

She didn't even mind the shitty icing job I did on her cake.

Happy 4th Birthday, Big Girl. You are my rainbow.