Charlotte's Birthday Party!

Party number two!  Don't get me wrong- I love to throw parties and I love that my girls both have summer birthdays (for lots of different reasons), but I feel like I spend the entire months of May, June, and July planning parties!  Charlotte's party ends my party planning season and while I'm always glad to get on with the fun, I'm always a little sad that I won't be throwing any more parties until our annual holiday party in January.

Anyway, this year we decided to have a carnival party for Charlotte.  We decided on the theme quite awhile ago.  One of her day care buddies had a balloon artist come to school for their birthday and the Little Mermaid balloon Charlotte brought home was so adorable, we held on to the guy's card and decided to design a party idea around him.  A carnival was a natural choice.  So we turned our back yard into a carnival!  I was really proud of how it all turned out.  I had a great idea for an invitation that was basically a big top tent that opened up, but I couldn't find the paper I wanted (except as a digital file) and my pickiness in the "vision" mean that we were three weeks away from the party and I hadn't started the project.  So Charlotte picked out a design at Target.  All, well.  At least I made Audrey's!  I didn't take the pictures and I still haven't figured out the best way to move and arrange pictures on blogger, so the order is a little weird.  Sorry.  Kind of.

We set up games and a few activities for the kiddos in the backyard.  We had a duck pond and the kids had to match the number on the bottom of the duck to the prize basket.  There was also a penny pitch where the kids had to throw pennies on a board with polka dot wrapping paper on it and match the color of the dot they landed on to the prize baskets next to it.  There was also a bean bag toss.  I was really worried about it being too hot (little did I know it was only going to get hotter as the week progressed), so we started the party kind of late (4:30) to make sure there was enough shade.  I also had lemonade and water and fruit in easy places to help keep the kiddos cool, but I was still nervous.  When I went outside just after a few of Charlotte's friends arrived, though, I knew it wouldn't be a problem.  I saw my daughter and her friends Harvey and Sophie in the duck pond and figured the kids knew how to stay cool!

Charlotte and her main man Harvey hanging out in the duck pond.  Whatever makes them happy and cool!

Charlotte and her first balloon animal.  Apparently this duck is from a tv show, but it isn't one we've seen.  Charlotte just like her duck!

Audrey and her daycare Mommy, Michelle.  For some reason, Audrey was naked the entire party.  I figured Matt would get her dressed, but she never found her way into her dress.  All, well.  It was hot.  Audrey was happy.  Whatever.

Karlee demonstrating how to break the pinata balls.  These were awesome!  They're individual pinatas.  I got the idea from a website and had the idea to make them as favors for Audrey's party.  It seemed like a good idea for a hot air balloon theme.  I underestimated, however, how long it would take to paper mache 30 pinata balls, let them dry, and then decorate them with tissue paper.  Despite Matt's help and a few late nights, I was only able to get enough finished for the kids at Audrey's party.  Matt was a little irritated that we had 20 some odd unfinished paper mached balloons in our basement, so I promised I would finish them for Charlotte's party.  And I did!  And they were super cute and a huge hit, despite the melted chocolate inside.  Win some, lose some.

Kristin modelling Emmalee's butterfly wings.  Such a pretty Mama.   :)

Cole with his dinosaur and his antenna hat.  You can see Emmalee in the back in the incredible photo board Matt made.  Each kiddo put their face in the board and we took a picture.  I'm going to print them out and send them to the kids with their thank you notes.  Matt did a better job than I ever imagined.  It was so cute!

Emmalee the Circus Elephant.  :)

The main food table.  We stuck to carnival food- hot dogs, soft pretzels and caramel corn.  There was also carrots and dip and fruit kabobs.  The carrots are hiding behind the caramel corn and the fruit kabobs were on the bar with the drinks.

The decorations inside.  I was pretty happy with how it turned it out.

The balloon man!  He was great with the kids and so fun.  It was the best part of the party.  I would highly recommend hiring a balloon artist for a kids party.  So fun!  (If you go the link, this guy wasn't Mike.  His stage name was Brian, real name Robert.  Apparently Robert wasn't good enough as a stage name, so Brian it is.)

Our face painters.  One of Matt's former students and her brother's girlfriend came to paint the kids faces.  They were great!  They also rescued us- another kid was asked to do it, but at the last minute we couldn't get a conformation from him, so these ladies stepped in the day before!  Thank you so much, Maddie!

Serena and her mermaid

Logan and his mom, Cheryl, and dad, Sean

The cake and cupcakes

Party revelers.  We ended up with 14 kids and their parents.

Aunt Lindsey and her octopus!

Brandon and Spiderman

Charlotte and Elizabeth attacking Elizabeth's mom with bubbles

A Harvey/Charlotte hug.  They're famous.  :)  And Sophie, the "other woman".

The Growing Footprints gang, minus Elizabeth

Cole with his monkey

Time to sing!

I just love how big her smile is here.  Made everything worth it and reminded why I throw these parties in the first place.

The inside of the cake.  I gave Charlotte her piece and her response?  Mom, I want a white one!  Say what?  Instead of her rainbow cake, she had a plain vanilla cupcake.  What.Ever.  Next year I won't take the time to make a six layer rainbow cake.

Presents!

Checking out her new stickers from Maddie.

Oh, the excitement with this gift!  She recognized the Target doll box and was so excited!  I asked her what it was and she said "I don't know!  I want it!"  So cute.  She wasn't sure exactly what it was, but she knew she would like it!

Stuff for her dolls!  Great job, Rineys!

Thanks, Cole.

Giving thank you hugs

Opening her new doll accessories.  She got a pack and play, car seat, high chair and a bouncer.  She L.O.V.E.S. it.  She had me put the pack and play right by her bed so she can put her babies to bed at night.  So sweet.

Audrey, eating the duck pond.

Emmalee, giving her better ideas.

What, Uncle Andy?  I'm just playing here!

Sweet face

Two naked girls checking out Charlotte's loot.  Such generous friends!  She had a blast and it was so nice to  have so many of her friends and neighbors come to the party.  Can't wait for next year!