The boys' birthday party was yesterday and it was a lot of fun. We've never before held it outside of the home--definitely a new experience. It takes A LOT of planning to make sure you haul everything with you. But the zero post-party clean up was awesome. Really awesome, actually. And so I'm on the fence as to what we'll do next year. Luckily, the boys have a year to decide--a fact they are none too happy about ("a whole year momma?").
The mini-theme I alluded to was 'spring'. Not much of a theme, I know. But we are planting a garden this year (Charlie just finished the raised garden bed! More on that later...) and the boys are pretty excited. So I made dirt cupcakes with mini shovel toppers. To make the shovels, I assembled two types of pretzel bits to fashion a handle and used a cinnamon toast cereal bit for the blade. It sort of worked...
Many shovels broke en route to the party, grrr. The dirt cupcakes also sported sprinkles for 'seeds' and lots of gummy worms...
And because I was not 100% sure that the cupcakes looked even remotely like what I was shooting for (little garden plots), I put out a sign to hopefully clue everyone in...
For the favors, the boys helped me put together planter buckets. We found tins in the $1 section at Target and we punched drainage holes in the bottom. We threw in some rocks, bags of potting soil, and rounds of seed blanket (a butterfly garden mix that we cut down to size. Found it at Home Depot--really hope it works!).
To top off the instructions on how to plant the seed blanket, I put together a "photo strip" of the boys with a little message (idea from Young House Love).
Once everything was assembled, I realized that some kids might be let down that there was no candy. Specifically, my kids. So I caved and added some gummy worms.
At the party, which was held at The Little Gym, the boys enjoyed stretching their muscles and running around like crazy ("run inside, momma? Reeeeallly?!").
I completely forgot to take pictures of the decorated party room, but the background in some of the shots reveals that the bunting did indeed make it. Bunting makes me happy.
And every year, after the party, I am reminded of a certain quote. Some of you quote wise, historic figures. But my mind holds onto quotes like these: from over a decade ago, when my law school roommate, Jenn, and I were watching a Letterman interview with Janeane Garofalo (remember her?). And in discussing her recent and significant weight loss, Ms. Garofalo revealed that her weight was a constant battle because she often "disguises the sin of gluttony in the nobility of not being wasteful." Amen, sister. I have more than a dozen cupcakes left over from the party. And being wasteful is a terrible thing...
p.s. I'm linking up to DIY Day over at A Soft Place to Land.