The Birthday Party!
As you may already know, I wanted to keep the party small and simple and invite only family. I stuck with the only family thing, and one friend, who said, “Heather I want to come to their party!” So of course I said come on! In total we had 16 people in attendance… which isn’t necessarily the definition of small. Also on the simple part… I went a little over board as I tend to do with most things!
I crafted, pinned, and researched my heart out the weeks before their party. I thought long and hard about what types of birthday traditions I wanted to start for the twins. I cleaned, we landscaped, and I purchased things like mad.
I am going to break this post up in to categories so that I talk about everything I want to remember about the party!
Theme: I struggled with the idea of a theme for the party. I have boy/girl twins… and well I couldn't think of or find a gender neutral theme that felt right. I love the idea of a circus/carnival theme but didn’t want to use that theme on a 1st birthday where fun things like games and perhaps petting zoos would be a waste. Then one night in Target when on the birthday aisle, the balloon helium tank spoke to me. I decided then and there that I wanted the “theme” to be balloons. I wanted my house to be tacky (yes tacky, it's about what they would like!) and full of colors and balloons, balloons everywhere. I thought, “how perfect for a 1 year old. They will love balloons. They will love balloons everywhere and it’s gender neutral.” I also liked the idea of a balloon “theme” because it didn’t really feel like a theme. Then I pinterested “balloon theme party” and boy oh boy is it a theme. I also was pleasantly surprised that the Dollar Tree had balloon party theme items. Here are some pictures of the balloon theme. Look Who's 1 balloons and 1st Birthday Balloons
Crafts: I made the cake bunting, the high chair bunting, the number 1 collages, the giant #1 cut out seen on the right counter in the above picture, and my mom did a birthday king and queen wall.
Food: I made all of the food with the exception of the main chocolate birthday cake and smash cakes, and coleslaw all of which came from our local grocery store Kroger. I would have made all the cakes myself but I dont own smash cake size pans. And since they were only $5.99, I just purchased them at kroger. I think making the food yourself is way more personal than paying someone else to do it. Your love as my grandmother would say goes in to preparing everything and it is enjoyable for me.The birthday menu included desserts and BBQ. At first I wanted a dessert only party but decided since the party started at 4pm that I should offer more real food. I made chocolate chip cookies, #1 shaped sugar cookies, red velvet cupcakes, strawberry cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, and brownie fudge cupcakes. I made Homemade BBQ Recipe and served it with Homemade Mac and Cheese Recipe, baked beans, and coleslaw. I will post my recipes and link them in. This was prefect because it was low maintenance food. I made the BBQ overnight in the crockpot and left it in the crockpot to keep warm and serve during the party. I put the baked beans in another crockpot and left them in it to keep warm and serve during the party. I prepared the mac and cheese the night before and then put in the oven the day of the party 30 minutes before the party was to start. I set a timer on my phone so I would not forget to put it in. I baked all the baked goods the day before. This food prep was really easy. The food was yummy. The food was filling. The clean-up was easy. And this is very cost efficient and personal.
Birthday outfits: Shirts from etsy/ Etsy, Leggins from Etsy, Hair bow from Etsy, Tutu from Tutuville Ebay, #1 Hats from Amazon, Bibs from Walmart.
Gifts: We purchased the following gifts for the twins, Baby Stella Doll and Fisher Price Stroller, Rocking Bull, Dump Trucks, bath toys a speed boat and Little Mermaid, and Elephant Ball Shooter. All have been major hits with the twins.
Traditions: We put a giant blow up cake in the front yard. Every year on their birthday we will put it up and take a picture with it. We will do a champagne toast every year to celebrate another year of parenting. I will add many more as they get older, like ballooning them in their bedrooms! Giant Birthday Cake
Smash Cake: From Kroger. I ordered two smash cakes, with yellow inside, one with light blue icing and one with light pink icing. However this order got a little messed up and I got two smash cakes with white icing and pink and blue trim… one had chocolate inside and one had yellow inside… They loved them none the less!
And we need some pictures of present opening!
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