life in general

vintage spring sorbet: the cuties

A lot of parties can be pretty, but it takes the people to make it fun!  At the beginning of the event my mom spoke in front of everyone, outlining the day, welcoming, etc.  She held up a little kite and asked us to ponder . . . what fun is a kite sitting there all on it's own.  In order to enjoy the kite you have to run with it.  You have to play, smile, have fun.  And that's what she hoped we would all do today.  Rather than sitting back waiting for someone else to entertain you, you need to get up, participate, and create your experience.  And when we all do that, when we all smile, have a good time, share, laugh, teach, inspire . . . . then you will have a happy day.

Be happy!

I want to share some of the cuties from the party and how they made it a happy day . . . . 

Chef Sam.  First off, my brother has grown into a pretty awesome (and need I say, handsome) man.  He has become quite the cook over the years and makes amazing desserts, cakes, and dinners.  He taught an appetizer class to the group of women and his knowledge about food and cooking blows me away.  We all gained a greater understanding of balsamic vinegar that day.

I volunteered to be a helper during his class, so I had to wear a paper chef's hat.  Sweet!

Scroll down through THIS POST and you can download his appetizer recipes.

My cutie girlfriends.  Of course, these ladies made it an extra special happy day for me.  My mom set up several stations throughout the property for fun photo ops and we took advantage of the opportunity to strike a pose.

We even got Mindy's guitarist, Spencer Harrison, to join us for a few photos after the event.

Mindy Gledhill.  A year ago when my mom began toying with the idea to bring Mindy to the spring event I thought "Really?  But this is just a little garden party?"  Thankfully she is the dreamer, the one with the big ideas and Mindy was the perfect addition to this little (big) garden party.  (Last time attendance was 75, this year it was 175).

I've seen Mindy perform twice before -- in Oregon and at Spark.  She is just simply adorable.  If you haven't heard her music, go buy her album Anchor right now and thank me later.

She brought her 9 month old baby, Griffin, with her.  He was just so super sweet and squishy.  Mindy is so personable and friendly and gracious.  Happily agreeing to have her photo taken hundreds of times and signing CD after CD.  (I got to be her sales cashier and this group wiped out her inventory.)  I can only imagine how tiring it is to have a perma-grin on your face all day, but she takes it all in stride.

Her performance was magical as always.  Her voice reminds me of a trilling little bird, and in this outdoor atmosphere it was even more enchanting.

She dedicated this last song "I Do Adore" to Teresa's granddaughters.  (How fun would it have been for Anna to be there!  But, this was a kid-free getaway . . . )

 Like I said we enjoyed her company, we sat with her & Spencer at lunch, we held Griffin, we visited more at the after-party fiesta, took silly photos with her, Jenn attempted to take some silly photos with Mindy's phone (naughty girl) . . . . so I think we're all BFF's now.  :)  

I think she also really enjoyed her time at the event.  She wrote about it on her blog HERE.

Norma.  There was a little contest during the event.  We all voted on who we thought was dressed the best to match the theme - Vintage Spring Sorbet.  Well, this sweet lady won and rightfully so!

Don't you love her matching pale peach dress & hat!  And the glitter shoes!  If only you could see them in person.  A few days later she e-mailed my mom with a poem that she had written.  I think it describes the event perfectly!

Teresa (mom), Ruth, Sandi.  They are the masterminds, organizers, planners, seamstresses, and sorbet makers behind this beautiful event.

And as I mentioned in another post they are so cute together . . . it's fun to see how friendships/connections with other women grow over time.  You find your trues, stick together, and create wonderful lasting relationships through all the seasons of life.

They are good examples and their happiness, their light, their talent, their spark can't help but rub off onto others.  They made us all feel special and pampered.

A few comments heard around the event . . . . 

"I think I am going to be disappointed when I get to heaven, because it is right here!"

"This is better than Time Out for Women."  I would completely agree.

A woman who planned to pop in for just a little while, but instead stayed the whole time: "I just couldn't leave.  My heart wouldn't let me."

We all felt the love.

Here I am a week later and my heart is missing it too.  It was simply wonderful and I can't say enough good things about it.  I'm glad that I got to be a part of it.  I'm glad that I already had this on the calendar when we moved, so I could have something to look forward to.  I'm glad that I have awesome friends and that my parents think they're pretty great too (their adopted daughters for the weekend).

Lots of love, lots of memories, lots of connections, lots of inspiration, lots of fun.

My bucket is full!

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The Vintage Spring Sorbet was a spring event held on April 28th in Catheys Valley, California.  A bundle of vintage fun, color, and beauty with music performed by Mindy Gledhill.  And of course plenty of sorbet. Everyone left inspired, lifted up, and with happy hearts!

Read more about the event HERE

vintage spring sorbet: the pretties

Saturday morning was a whirlwind!  Woke up early to set out the centerpieces and goodie bags.  Then it was time to get ready.  And finally at 9:15 I roamed through the grounds to get pictures of everything before the women began arriving.

What I loved about this party is that wherever you stood, in every direction you looked, there was something colorful, pretty, whimsical, vintage, just fun to look at.

So this post is all about the pretties . . . .

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The Vintage Spring Sorbet was a spring event held on April 28th in Catheys Valley, California.  A bundle of vintage fun, color, and beauty with music performed by Mindy Gledhill.  And of course plenty of sorbet. Everyone left inspired, lifted up, and with happy hearts!

Read more about the event HERE

vintage spring sorbet: work day

It's hard to call it a work day when you're spending the day with friends, surrounded by such fun & colorful pretties, wearing cute vintage aprons (thanks mom!), and free from the demands of your children!

That's my kind of work day.

We were put in charge of two things:  make 200 snickerdoodle cookies and assemble 180 floral centerpieces.  Piece of cake!

My mom, Sandi, and Ruth (the spring event planners) busied themselves around the property setting up displays, tables, banners, vendors, etc.  They popped into the kitchen for a cookie.

They are just so cute together.  Friends for who knows how many years.  We smiled as we watched them chat and giggle and agreed that that was going to be us someday.

We also got a visit from this wild turkey.  Apparently she was thirsty.

Then it was on to the flowers.  Ahead of time my mom had painted and baked all the mason jars to give them this pretty blue color.  It was stunning up next to the bright color of the flowers.

The assembly was pretty easy -- baby's breath + 3 flowers (gerbera daisies, mums, and sweet peas).

Look at these gorgeous ladies . . . .

Like I said, surrounded by friends and pretties makes for an enjoyable day of work.

Just wait until you see them set up on the tables!

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The Vintage Spring Sorbet was a spring event held on April 28th in Catheys Valley, California.  A bundle of vintage fun, color, and beauty with music performed by Mindy Gledhill.  And of course plenty of sorbet. Everyone left inspired, lifted up, and with happy hearts!

Read more about the event HERE

vintage spring sorbet: reunion

Where to even begin . . . . 

There is so much to show and tell and share.  So much beauty and fun and so many memories.

I guess I'll start with my reunion with my friends.  I drove alone from Vegas and they drove together from Oregon.  I started the day out in a ball of nerves . . . anxious to see them, to get through the 8 hour drive on my own, and to be reunited.

mojave desert  *  pumping gas in Bakersfield  *  my passengers, not so chatty

I had been at the house a few hours when they pulled in close to 9pm.  I waited out in the dark, with my flashlight and jumped up and down when I saw them coming down the driveway.  Really, truly is this happening??!

It was just so wonderful to be together again with my girls!

We spent a lot of time helping with the preparations for the party.  And in between party stuff we found moments to lay on the hammock, ride the new Razors, take a trip to the mini mart down the road for sodas, dip our toes in the pool, observe all the crazy wildlife (turkeys, bats, lizards, etc.).  One morning we took a 2 mile walk around the property and one evening we went on a night walk to the tree house.  In the evenings we gathered in our pajamas and visited while Nicole & Jenn exchanged foot massages.  We talked about parenting, eternal life, abundance, moving adjustments, changes, . . . . but really, we just laughed a lot.

Obstacle courses   *   Outies   *   Things that fly!   *   Mis-dialed phone numbers   *   just to name a few  . . .

One of the most memorable parts of the weekend (there are a lot) came friday night after the big work day.  Our group gathered with Heidi & her sisters & mom, Becca & her friend Allison, for a little party down at the lake.  We roasted hot dogs, propped our tootsies up by the fire, rode the paddle-boats, listened to the wildlife (geese & beavers), and just enjoyed each other's company.  

 Then my mom pulled out a surprise.  She thought it would be fun to send off floating lanterns like they do in the movie Tangled or for celebrations in Thailand.  But they're illegal in California (fire hazard) so she found the next best thing.  Floating lotus flowers with a candle inside that we could send off on the lake.  (And they are biodegradable, if you were worried.)

Cue the chorus of "Awww's".

Picture this . . . . dusk on the lake.

We gather on the dock.

And listen to beautiful music as Paige sings "At Last I see the Light."

We all join in for the chorus.  And repeat a second time.

Voices pause here and there and eyes well up with tears.  Friends huddle closer.

Each one kneels on the dock and sends their candle on the water, making a wish.

Such a special moment.  A memory I will never forget.  A few of stayed on the dock and just sat, enjoying the quiet night air, the feelings of the moment, soaking in the moonlight and pointing out the wishing star.

My wish?   That we would be friends forever.

The next day was wonderful as well, but I'll get to the details of the party later.  It was just so nice to be with my friends again, to feel at home (not only because we were at my parents' home, but also because I with people who know me), and to see the way my parents love my friends too (their daughters for the weekend).

It makes me feel so very blessed.

The last time we did this trip together, we spent the last hour of the drive home listing all the memories we had made, "Because of this trip . . . "  We did this again.  Although, I was home by then cuddling next to Scott and they were still on the road.  We conversed over text messages and I couldn't stop smiling and laughing, pinching myself for what a wonderful reunion we had had this weekend.

After our tearful good-bye early on Sunday morning they drove away and I walked back to the front door of my parents' house.  The welcome mat has the words Happy Day printed on it.  I looked down and couldn't help but smile and once again feel so lucky to have spent a happy fun weekend with my best friends.

Love these girls!

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The Vintage Spring Sorbet was a spring event held on April 28th in Catheys Valley, California.  A bundle of vintage fun, color, and beauty with music performed by Mindy Gledhill.  And of course plenty of sorbet. Everyone left inspired, lifted up, and with happy hearts!

Read more about the event HERE

favorite things party

The first time I heard about a "favorite things party" was during my early days on Pinterest.  (Just do a search and you'll get lots of results).

This idea totally clicked with me and I knew that I had to throw my own Favorite Things Party someday.

After we accepted the new job last fall I decided that would be the perfect chance to throw one last party.  So last September I invited a small group of friends to my home for a evening of favorites.

This is the only photo I have of the invites -- the side is cut off for whatever reason.  (The little specks you see are glitter from Anna's pajama party invitations that I was making at the same time. These parties were back to back -- friday and saturday.  I know how to pack it in.)

It reads:

Please join us for an evening of favorite things

Please bring four of your favorite things (under $6) to share with the group.  
You will also go home with four new favorite things.

So that's the basic idea.  Gather friends.  Everyone brings their favorite thing (in a multiple of 4 or 5, whatever you choose).  Set a spending limit.  And then you do a swap.

For decor I started with "brown paper packages tied up string" and carried that feeling into the burlap runner, white tablecoth, yellow flowers and pretty glass dishes (picked up from the thrift store).  Simple and classic.

When everyone arrived we munched on appetizers . . . chips and a favorite dip, spreads, veggies, and little cups of fruit.  I also fired up the blender and made Lava Flow drinks.  My favorite drink from Hawaii!  Find the recipe HERE.

We started things out with a little game.  I handed out a slip of paper with 10 questions and asked everyone to fill it in.

Then we went around the room, one question at a time, and listened to everyone's answers.  If somebody else wrote the same answer as you (they had the same favorite flower, or book, or color, etc.) you had to cross out your answer.  Does that make sense?  Kind of like Scattegories, you might say.  At the end, everyone tallied their remaining answers -- the ones that were not crossed out.  And the 2 people with the most points (i.e. the people with the most unique tastes) got a prize.  

It was a lot of fun!  But it was really important to not share the purpose and judging criteria at the beginning of the game, or else people would have tried to be more specific and out-there with their responses.  The prize was a copy of "A Mother's Book of Secrets" by one of my favorite bloggers and her mother.

The game was such a great activity -- we got to learn more about each other and we also got some great book and website suggestions.  I know I was scribbling down notes!

You can download the game HERE:  Download Favorites game.

Now onto the swap portion of the evening . . . 

For our swap, everyone wrote their name on 4 pieces of paper and dropped it into a dish.  I mixed up the names and then went around the room and allowing everyone to choose 4 slips of paper (making sure not to choose their own name).  The 4 names that you selected became the recipients of the gifts that you brought.

Each person took a minute to talk about their favorite thing and then distribute the gifts to the ladies that they chose.

It was really so much fun!  Lots of anticipation on both the giving and receiving ends.  Just like Christmas!  But in September!  And with cool girly stuff!

I gave 2 mini latte bowls (in seafoam and ivory) from Anthropologie.  I just love them.  Other favorite things included:  chocolate truffles, face wash, a meal planning system, s'mores kit, a family dinner-time conversation game, soap, and more.

I handed out the brown paper bags above for collecting your new favorite things.  Inside I also included a can of Cream of Coconut and a recipe to make your own Hawaiian Lava Flow drinks at home.  (You can also download the recipe card HERE:  Download Lava flow recipe)

Of course I couldn't leave them without dessert before going home.  So I made my favorite . . . . pizookies!

Talk about a great evening . . . . games, gifts, visiting with great women, yummy drinks, dessert . . . 

I definitely want to do it again!

the pool party

At age 9 our kids get to have a friend birthday party.  When we originally brainstormed ideas Payton wanted a Mario Party at home.  As we discussed the guest list I learned there were a few girls he wanted to invite.  Hmm.  A Wii party with a bunch of 9 year old boys and girls.  I'm not sure how that is going to work.

So I told him no.  I just can't come up with a good party theme that would work in our home (where we always hold parties) for boys and girls.

"I know!  Let's have it at the pool!", he said.

Sometimes that boy has some great ideas.

So a pool party was born!  I wanted to keep it simple.  I had already dodged the obligation to clean my house (and clean it again after the party ended), I wouldn't have to entertain the kids for 2 hours (entertainment is provided for me), and the whole moving thing was feeling eminent.  Keep it simple!

For invitations I printed these from TomKat Studio:

And for a personal touch I rounded up a few photos of Payton in and around the pool and put them on a teeny tiny photo strip.

Put it all together and wah-la!

Roller stamp across the front of the envelope

Now for the actual party . . . .

We held it during public swim hours and just reserved a space for our group on the bleachers.  Kids arrived, dropped their towels, and headed for the pool.  I had a few pool toys on hand as well.

Diving rings, inflatable shark (everyone went home with one), and underwater cameras.  I think the cameras were a real hit.  I had four cameras that the kids could play with and pass around.  At the beginning of the party I gave Conner the job of getting underwater photos of everyone in attendance.  We just got the photos developed and they are pretty fun!  It's also interesting to see the party from their perspective, in the water.

Payton finished writing his thank you cards yesterday (gotta get those in the mail) and we included each child's underwater photo in the envelope.  

While the kids swam I took photos and handed out snacks (Capri Sun, Goldfish crackers, shark fruit snacks).

After 45 minutes of swimming I gathered everyone out of the pool so we could sing happy birthday, eat cupcakes, and open presents.  I got the great idea for shark fin cupcakes here.  Card stock and toothpicks.

After another hour of swimming it was time to go home.  Everybody went home with a box of swedish fish and an inflatable shark.  The "thank you" tags" also came from TomKat Studio.

I think fun was had by all!  Payton had a great time, he was so excited to have his friends there, and so excited to open his gifts.  I'm not sure these kids have ever seen such a joyful reaction to present opening (I told you that he has a gift).  Which is awesome, because it makes the giver feel that much more special.

Party Supplies

Fujifilm Quick Snap Waterproof 35mm Single Use Camera (4 Pack)

Shark Inflatable Toys 24" (12 pack)

Swedish Fish Assorted Soft & Chewy Candy, 3.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)

6 months and counting

So I am on a major Spark high today.  The last few days I've hopped around the blogs of my Spark Sisters, re-living the event as they display their own photos and recount their feelings on what was an amazing weekend.  The excitement and spark is still there and we can all start dreaming of Spark No. 4!

But first . . . .

6 months from today (yes today!) I will be in California at my mom's spring event!  Have you noticed my little button down there on the left?

Last year I was able to go with a few of my friends (roadtrip!) and we had such a fabulous time.  The whole day we kept saying it felt like something straight out of an Anne of Green Gables book.  So pampered, so lovely, so girly.

(click on collage to see it larger)

This year she & her friends are making it even bigger.  The theme is Vintage Spring Sorbet.  Mindy Gledhill is coming to perform!  Hello?!  That is reason enough to go.  They're planning a delicious lunch with the most darling details.  There will be mini-classes.  And of course a plentiful supply of sorbet.  The list of vendors is growing.  And as with everything my mom touches it will be pure beauty.

Here's my mom (Teresa) and her cute friends Ruth & Sandy . . . the event organizers.  Out on a fun girls' weekend.

What's awesome about this event is, they don't do it for profit or making money.  They simply do it for the love of a good party and the desire for women to get together and share their talents.  (Read the story behind the creation of the spring event.)  

This is the first year that they are actually charging admission -- for the sole purpose of covering some lunch & concert costs.  But it's cheap.  $30 for a lunch, concert, and day with your friends?  That's a steal. There is an attendee limit . . . I think their RSVP list hovers around 150 right now.

I'm going.  If you're interested, check out the spring event blog:  Vintage Spring Sorbet.  If nothing else, visit the blog just to enjoy her inspiring posts and ideas.

Okay, gotta go now.  There are piles of laundry, a halloween costume to be created, and Scott is home (hooray for Nevada Day!).  

Like I said, I was feeling the Spark-high today and just wanted to share my next creative thing.  Have a great day!

pajama glam party - fun

Anna could hardly stand it waiting for her friends to arrive!  And when she gets excited, she gets silly.

Once everyone arrived we (my party assistant Caylin and I) gave the girls glitter toes while they watched a bit of Tangled.  Anna and I love doing glitter toes from time to time.  It's just 3 simple steps.  1) paint your toes, 2) while the polish is still wet sprinkle a fine glitter all over (Martha Stewart glitter is the best) and shake/blow/brush off the excess, 3) finish with a clear top coat.

Then is was time for dinner breakfast!  We served cinnamon rolls, sausage, powdered donuts, berries with whipped cream, and chocolate milk.  I think everyone was stuffed!

After food it was time for games.  We played Wake Sleeping Beauty, Hot Potato (Pillow), and went on a Diamond Hunt using their little flashlights to find hidden jewels.  As you can see, Anna really got into the games.

The party was structured just enough to keep everyone entertained, but not so much that the girls couldn't come up with a little fun all their own.  They played ring-a-round the rosie and started a happy birthday / cha-cha-cha congo line that wound around the house.

There were presents, which Anna loved.  In fact, while I was preparing the invitations she came to me in a panic and said, "Mom, we need to make sure we tell them to bring presents!"  

We sang happy birthday and tried to eat cupcakes, but everyone was still too full from breakfast.  Instead, we brought out the karaoke machine and the girls sang to Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, and songs from Tangled.

 I think they enjoyed it, but it is a little tricky to share 2 microphones among 5 girls.  Especially when one of those girls is on a birthday high and thinks she deserves to have her own microphone the whole time and has a small meltdown when the CD comes to one of her favorite songs and she just can't handle it anymore.  (That would be Anna).  But she made it pretty far into the evening, 6:50pm, before deciding to lose it.  We had a little pep talk in the bathroom because she needed to get herself together before parents started arriving in just minutes.  It worked, and the girls layed around the couch with their pillows, watching a little more of Tangled while they waited to go.

Everyone was a little tired at the end.  I think it was perfect though:  we got prettied up, we ate, we played, and then we wound down and sent everyone home in their pajamas, ready for bed and a good night's sleep.

pajama glam party - invites and favors

I forgot 2 of the most important things!  Invitations and party favors!

The invitations were a printable included in the kit I purchased at One Charming Party.  I dipped the edges in Elmer's glue and then in silver glitter to give it a bit of glam.  This was another tip from the party kit -- yet again, I didn't have to think to create something cute!  Inside the envelopes I also included a couple white feathers for fun.

For her 6 year old birthday she could invite 6 guests.  This rule seems to work really well for us.  For Conner's 9th birthday he invited 9 friends.  For the 12th and 16th birthdays we may have to alter the plan a bit, but for now it works.

Party favors . . . these were so fun to put together!  I put everything in pink treat tubs from Bake It Pretty.  They were the perfect size.

The contents: toothbrush and sleeping mask from the Dollar Tree, pink whoppers, jewels, a mini flashlight (found for cheap at the Grocery Outlet), a mini zippered purse, and antibacterial hand wash from Bath & Body Works.  The "Sweet Dreams" note and poem was part of the OCP party kit.

I think the girls loved all their little goodies.

pajama glam party - details

The 6th birthday is a party year for us (we throw parties for ages 6, 9, 12 or 13, and 16) so Anna needed a party!

And I had a lot going on in our lives so I needed help!  Enter One Charming Party and Pinterest!  One Charming Party was perfect for me . . . I purchased their Pajama Glam party guide (a 50 page PDF) and I was good to go.  It includes beautiful photography with ideas, recipes, & instructions for decorations, party games, food, party favors, photo ops, etc.  Everything you would need to put together an awesome party.  And it also included printable invitations, cupcake toppers, thank you cards, place cards, and a cute note/poem for the favor.  I was able to throw together a great party without thinking too hard which is exactly what I needed.

The theme for this party was Pajama Glam.  Basically it's a mock pajama party where you have all the fun of a sleepover (games, pajamas, breakfast, etc.), but everyone goes home for the night.  It was very girly and fun.  I think it would work for almost all ages of girls.  

To get things started on the right foot I made a tissue flower wreath to put on the front door.  I always love hanging something special on the door for parties.  It helps to set the tone.

The table set-up . . . roses picked from my yard, white feathers, and acrylic jewels garnished the table.

The place-setting . . . a white doily placed beneath a glass plate (idea via pinterest) to give the meal a delicate and special feeling.  The name cards came from the OCP (I added the jewel).  See the cup of blueberries on the left -- later we topped those off with whipped cream.  I found these cups in a 6-pack at the the Dollar Tree.  They were so cute!

Cupcake toppers from OCP - again, I added a jewel.  I baked yellow cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting and finally pulled out my Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator to make the frosting look pretty.  Both the pink and polka dot cupcake liners came from Bake It Pretty.  Such a fun shop.

I also served mini powdered donut in cupcake liners -- a super cute and simple idea I found on pinterest.

In the family room I made and hung tissue paper pom poms and a balloon garland from the ceiling.  Relatively easy, super cheap, and it gives a great impact.  I got the balloon garland idea from pinterest -- in this pin they threaded a needle with thread through the nubbies of the balloon.  I simply got some twine and tied it around each one, trying to evenly space them out.  It didn't take very long at all.

That's all for now . . . a post on the party festivities coming next!

'tis the season to be freezin'

It snowed again today.  School was cancelled. (I cleaned the bathrooms!)  Payton & Anna built snowmen and Conner shoveled the driveway and sidewalk.  His payment came in the form of candy cleaned out of Scott's forbidden zone.  

So, in honor of the snow I thought this would be the perfect time to post details of our Winter Wipeout Party.

We love Wipeout.  The kids laugh hysterically and I love that it is something that we can all watch together.  It usually airs during the summertime, but the show was soooo successful that they brought it back for a season of "Winter Wipeout."  We were thrilled to hear this news and since early January we have held a family Wipeout Party every Friday night.  Nothing too crazy - just popcorn or ice cream and lots of laughs.

A few weeks ago when we had family here for Payton's baptism I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take the Wipeout Party to the next level.  I brainstormed food & activity ideas for a few weeks and here's what I came up with.

FOOD

white chocolate covered pretzel rods . . . 

a summer sausage . . . 

The 7-Letter Word was my favorite to make!  I felt so proud of myself when I came up with this idea.  I used a recipe for Stained Glass Jell-O to mimic the frothy, snow & ice covered waters.  And then I cut the letters from fruit roll-ups.  Wa-la!

(This recipe also came in handy last week for the Blue & Gold banquet when I used blue & yellow jell-o.)

ACTIVITIES

Watch an episode of Winter Wipeout, of course.

Make Sinister Snowflakes.

Make your own Ballsy.  Ballsy is the Wipeout mascot.  You don't often see him on the weekly episodes, but he's always behind the scenes throwing snowballs at the contestants.

Make snow.  I had some of this Insta-Snow leftover from Conner's Mad Science Birthday Party.  It is fun stuff, but it can be messy.

DECORATIONS

The week before the party I scored a deal on a free custom vinyl banner!  All I had to do was pay shipping.  I think it added the perfect touch to this party.

The end!  Not too crazy, but just fun and themed enough to add something special to the day.

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Linking up at Tatertots and Jell-o Weekend Wrap-Up Party

Linking up at Shindig Saturday

polyvinyl alcohol and such

Back when my kids were not babies (like last year) I decided that I would throw them "friend" birthday parties at age 5 or 6, nine, 12 or 13, and 16.  I'm all about coming up with a plan and sticking to it.  So far so good.  Conner had a birthday party at age 6 with an astronaut theme.  It was pretty cool.  This month he turns 9 and so his long desired wish of having another birthday party came true.  

I chose a Mad Scientist theme after seeing the cute ideas on Living Locurto's blog earlier this year. (You should check out her other party ideas.  She has a superhero party that sooo makes me wish Conner or Payton were turning 5 or 6 again).  Back to the party theme . . . If Conner had his way (and he expressed his plan to me many times) the party would consist of a nerf gun battle that lasted 2 hours, only pausing for cake and presents.

Here's how the non-nerf party went.

Invitations

I downloaded and printed the invites from Amy's blog.  Cute, easy, perfect!

Decor

I thought it would be appropriate to have a real scientist greet everyone at the door.

 

(Download Madscientist_door)

I decorated a few of the cupcakes and left the rest for the party attendees to finish off later.

 

I had fun with the rest of the table decor . . . a rack of test tubes, jar of eyeball candies, randomly placed miniature body parts (including a really icky, sticky tongue), skulls, and molecular models built by the kids.  Hang up some streamers and the two poseable skeletons we saved from Halloween and it all came together pretty well.

 

Party Starter

I've found that having an artsy/creative type activity is a great way to start things out.  And it gives the kids something to do immediately, while we wait for everyone to arrive.  

I set out gum drops and toothpicks and just let them go for it.  It was perfect!  Some of the boys got really creative and a couple of them brought their towers home with them.

 

The Experiments

Steve Spangler Science practically created this party for me.  I purchased everything from this website and used their science experiment index to get lots more ideas.  Here's what we did:

Tornado Tube

Lava Lamp in a test tube

Instant Snow

Atomic Slime - This is a great kit.  It comes with everything you need to make 24 batches of slime, including the take-home shaker cups.  

After a break for presents, decorating cupcakes, and eating ice cream we all put our jackets and shoes on and headed into the backyard for a little experiment involving Diet Coke and Mentos.

 

Goodie bags

Everybody went home with their lava lamp test tube, atomic slime, and instant snow.  Also some nerds, chocolate eyeballs, a test tube with peanut M&M's, and a rubbery body part.

 

Filler time

While waiting for parents to arrive the boys played Operation and busted out Conner's brand new Bakugan toys.

Conclusion

9 year old boys are noisy.  :)

I think the party was a success.  We did some cool things and the boys went home with a lot of fun stuff. Although, I'm looking forward to a few years from now when these sort of parties don't have to be sooo structured every single minute.  I spent my whole time setting out, cleaning up, setting out, cleaning up . . . go, go, go.  

Conner is already making plans for his next party a few years from now.  The theme?  A Nerf gun battle. 

mad scientists welcome here

Getting ready to welcome a gaggle of 9 year old boys into my house.  There will be slime, and test tubes, and body parts to garnish the cupcakes.  Trying to prep myself for 2 hours of mad scientist fun.  I still need to pull down my "Shannon" bin from the garage to get a hold of my chemistry goggles from college.  I knew there was a reason I held onto those.  That reminds me . . . I think I have a molecular model set in there too.  Score.

Off to practice my mad scientist laugh.