Kinsey's 6th Birthday- My Little Pony Party!

This party was waaaaay back in October 2014. 

But I'm still going to share it here, and lucky you- 

I have some FREE printables to go with it!

Seeing as Kinsey will be 7 in just under a week (!!!) I need to get all caught up on birthday recaps, and after this I plan to share a quick post about her 5th birthday- which was a Lalaloopsy theme.

Better late than never, right?

Invites available here

Rainbow streamers taped to the curtain rod + homemade cupcakes on cake stands = dessert table

For parties lately I've been trying to simplify. Maybe I've wised up to the fact that more time + more money doesn't always = more fun for the birthday kiddo? Maybe I've given up trying to throw perfect parties when all the girls want is fun with their friends? Maybe it just has everything to do with the fact that the last few parties have been planned with a little baby in the house?

Doesn't really matter, as long as I keep my sanity!

Star tip piping + MLP rings (found at walmart party aisle)

Toppers available in my Etsy shop

I made up signs and activites to go with each of the most popular ponies.

 I've attached 3 signs for FREE here!

"Pinkie Pie's Party Favors" 

Download here

Download here

Download here

 I failed to take any pictures of the book mark activity!

 But basically I cut some colored cardstock into bookmark sizes, set out stencils, markers, stickers and washi tape and let the kids make fun bookmarks.

"Pinkie Pie's Party favors" set up in a basket 
Treat Bag Topper available in my Etsy Shop!

"Rarity's Hoof Painting & Cutie Marks" Nail polish (peel off kind) nail tattoos
and MLP Temporary Tattoos for 'cutie marks'

This was the first activity the girls did- and the two boys got TMNT tattoos ;)

Simple rainbow decorations +MLP party supplies
The girls wore their MLP shirts, too.

 We played - pin the tail on the pony. 

I purchased the game, but used ribbons and tape to make it easier and so all the kids could play 
(the game only came with 8 tails)

Bonus- the girls were able to pin up this poster to decorate their room afterwards since it wasn't full of tail stickers!

Time to sing "Happy Birthday"

 It was a fun time celebrating Kinsey turning 6! I'm in the middle of planning her 7th birthday party right now- alhtough we are keeping it suuuuper simple this year ( at her request!) Any guesses on her theme of choice? Or how long it will take me to blog about it?

Savannah is ONE

A year ago at this time we were nervous and excited, loading up and driving to the hospital. Again. We had been there and been sent home the night before and this time we didn't want to be sent away. I was having to breathe a little to get through contractions, and I remember every bump in the road caused my belly to have another strong contraction. It was an uncomfortable 30 minute ride, to say the least. You can read a little more about her birth here.

Feels like yesterday. But here we are celebrating our last little gal turning ONE! She just walked over, handed me a domino and said 'da!' (there). Last year at this time she was still a face unknown in my belly, kicking around waiting to greet the world. Ah.....I won't cry, I won't cry, I. Won't. Cry.

My sweet Savannah Rose. Third little daughter of mine. We didn't plan on you, but you worked yourself into our little family in ways we never knew we were lacking. Your sisters adore you. Every morning, nap and night they want to be the first to kiss you, hug you and hold you. So do I...so it's kind of a daily competition ;)

Kinsey and Malaya call you "vanny," your daddy calls you "nah-nah" and I call you just about everything under the sun.

You have a temper. From zero-furious in about 3 seconds is your specialty. It has been from the day you were born. The nurses all commented on your quick temper when you were in the hospital. I suspect you got that from your mama.

Favorite foods include avocados, popcorn, anything sweet, meats (chicken, turkey, ham, steak, ground beef among the top picks) eggs- you LOVE deviled eggs especially.

Crushed ice is a great way to keep you happy in your high chair. You will ask to drink anything that someone else is drinking....especially if it happens to be daddy's giant glass of sweet tea! You say "cup, cup....gummy, gummy" when you want something someone else is eating or drinking.

You love to dance and sing to just about anything, the radio, commercials on tv, mommy or daddy singing silly songs. You will be dancing and trying to sing the words.

Da-da is your favorite....so the count stands at 1 mommy's girl and 2 daddy's girls. If you are upset and I say 'let's go find da-da" you are instantly happier. You get mad and grumpy when he's away for work and you light up when he facetimes to talk to you.

We continuously shake our heads at things you do say, or understand. You are so smart! Probably too smart for your own good. Which usually equals a lots of trouble. Good trouble, but trouble nonetheless.

I know you are growing up fast because you try desperately to keep up with your two big sisters in every way. You want to ride their scooters and bikes already...you walked at exactly 11 months in an effort to keep up.

Please don't' loose your baby-ness too quickly. You are my last baby and if I could I would stop time to soak in every bit of this precious period of my life and yours.

When I'm ragged and worn from a long day I know that when I wake up tomorrow you (and your sisters) will be another day older, bigger, more grown. So each day I need to soak you all in. 

Happy first birthday my Sweet, spunky, silly and smart Savannah!

Paw Patrol 3rd Birthday

This party happened just over 6 months ago, in late July,  but I still wanted to document it here since this is a bit of a virtual scrapbook for myself and our family (albeit a very, very, out of date one!)

Makayla has been obsessed with Paw Patrol (a Nickelodeon cartoon for those of you who may not know it) since it first started airing in the late summer of 2013. All she wanted for Christmas in 2013 was 'Paw Patrol toys', which, of course, were no where to be found because the show was too new. 

Mama to the rescue with a collection of stuffed animals 

similar to the pups in the show.

 It was a huge hit!

Grandma and Grandpa jumped in on the action and improvised their own Paw Patrol gift that Christmas- a hand drawn Zuma shirt! She was smitten.

So when we started talking birthday party themes in the late spring she had no trouble deciding

 it was going to be Paw Patrol all the way! 

I had big plans to get everything done before Savannah arrived...but that didn't happen at all. 

Let's face it, I barely got her nursery cleaned up and put together and her newborn clothes washed before she was born. 

So with a one week old baby I created her invitations-

 I 'girlied' them up a bit with the rainbow chevron.

Available customized invitations here in my Etsy Shop, Mod Ink Design.

We kept the party simple, 

because simple is the name of the game with a newborn and 2 other kiddos!

I made a quick 'Skye' t-shirt for Makayla

 with a little photoshop work and an iron on transfer + white t-shirt.

The treat table included 'scooby snacks'

 aka. dog bone shaped graham crackers and cheese ball treats

 in dollar store dog bowls.

The cupcake toppers were a mix of free printables from Nick Jr's website and my own rainbow chevron 'M' and '3' designs.

A super easy and budget friendly way to decorate cupcakes!

The rest of the house got very simple decorations, 

including a banner and some fun paper pinwheels on the mantel

 and a quick happy Birthday sign on our kitchen chalkboard!

Aunt Felisa helping hold newborn Savannah- she was 4 weeks old here!

Some of the party guests enjoying a coloring table with Paw Patrol coloring pages printed from various free online sources (just google!)

'Doggy Bag' treats for all the kiddos to take home- 

which included a simple mix of candy, rainbow bracelets and silly putty eggs.

You can purchase the treat bag toppers here, in my Etsy shop as an instant download!

My sweet girl being shy while we sang 'Happy Birthday'- love her!

Cupcakes and ice cream....yum!

Cousin Ellie, who celebrated her 3rd birthday the very next weekend!

Of course, there were plenty of awesome presents! 

Thanks (6 months late) to everyone who came to help us celebrate our curly haired sweetheart turning 3!