Saturday, March 30, 2013

Our Unexpected Journey

Alternate Title:  Oh My Gosh My Baby Just Turned 5!!!!!

Clover fell in love with the Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings.  And while I thought at the time it was just a phase she has proven me wrong.  We are still in the Middle Earth Phase and have been since December.  So when it came around to picking a birthday theme...well, you know the rest.

Since there is hardly any merchandise for parties pertaining to the Hobbit/LOTR, I had to come up with  ideas for decor and games.  There are quite a few great blogs out there of things that other people have done.  Like I said in my last post I picked through the internet and filed ideas away.  I didn't get to everything I put in the massive folder of bookmarks labeled "Hobbit", but I was pretty pleased with how the party turned out.


I did a google search for hobbit fonts and found Party Business for this sign.



I wanted a game the kids could play while running around so I hid a couple dragons around the gym.  Whoever found them got a little extra treasure.  I searched on Amazon for chocolate gold coins but shipping seemed a little pricey for me.  I actually found a container of them at Smart and Final.  So part of my lesson I learned this time was to shop around.    

The stress was greatly reduced by NOT having it out our house.  I actually got to mingle at one of my own parties.  I still feel like I didn't make it around to everyone.  I am very lucky that I have a party photographer.  She loves to take pictures and I love that when I stress out that I wasn't able to take any pictures she tells me to chill and hands me her SD card.  Thanks Lissa for the party pictures. 



The party table.  Lined with Green Burlap I found in January on sale at Hobby Lobby.  Goodies include pastries and berries.  We also had hobbit door cookies made and they turned out to be the most adorable cookies ever!  
  



We had the party at 2:45, which is a weird time.  I over bought on food.  We took a lot of it home with us.  I know it's one of my issues with party planning.  I am always afraid I am going to run out of food.  I wanted the kids to be able to load up after running around so much.   


I had blank invites left over so I printed quotes on them and laid them out on the tables.





The cake we got from Costco.  It's an "Over the Hill" cake.  I asked in advance if they could put a hobbit hole in the middle and they said yes.  They told me to add it to the form and draw a picture if I wanted.  It came out so cute!  I was pretty excited when I picked it up.  I had a debate with myself.  This was the first year I didn't make her cake.  At first I felt kind of bad but then when I saw the cake I didn't mind so much.  I also added Sparkling Candles for an added Gandalf like touch. 

It was a lot of planning and crafting for a two hour party but I really did enjoy myself.  There was a quarter of the stress this year as compared to last year.  I didn't have to worry about weather or moving it from the park to the house or anything.  The night before was so chill that I was stressing that I wasn't stressing and that is such a weird thing to be stressed about.  

I was excited that all of my little ideas all came together and formed a very adventurous journey.  The kids all had such a great time that there were several tears over leaving.  They did not want all the fun to be over!  

Since we are still in the Middle Earth Phase I know there are still several hobbitish days ahead of us.          

So, I will leave you with my favorite quote from the movie...

"I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love."  - Gandalf

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Three Months of Planning

I usually start birthday planning for Clover in January.  Even though her birthday is in March.  The extra time gives me an opportunity to brainstorm, bounce ideas of my party planner consultants and conduct extensive internet research.  

I love it though.  I love the creative process of party planning.  Since she has been able to talk she has picked her birthday theme.  I got the first two.  We did a blues clues bday for her first and Tinkerbell/Fairy theme for her second.  The rest she picked out.  Mickey Mouse was her third since she she was very into Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Last year she wanted a Bubble party so we bought a ton of bubble stuff and it rained on us.  There was a twenty minute reprieve where the storm cleared and we rushed outside.  The kids were wet and soapy by the time they left so I'm sure the parents loved me.  

This year I took out a little insurance and booked an indoor venue.  A local gymnastics gym that does birthday parties on the weekend.  When I booked the indoor venue I also had to limit the guest list.  I wasn't able to invite as many people as I wanted.  Clover also wanted to invite her dance class this year.    I then had to think of somehow to work it into the whole Hobbit Theme.  Yes, my daughter wanted a Hobbit theme for her fifth birthday.  She loved it.  I already acknowledged that it was a weird theme but it was funny to get some of the looks we got when I told people.  Having a unique theme gave me the opportunity to think outside the box.  We took the kids on and Unexpected Journey.  It was a lot of fun gathering ideas from different sources and then brainstorming and pulling everything together.        

Some of the links I picked through

Loved the idea for treats at Mommy's Little Peanuts.

Lot's of pictures of decor and food at Catch My Party.

Made some Hobbit/Elf like flower crowns from Sound Your Horn.

Cute invite ideas from Zakka Life.


Here is a shot of the stuff before we took it to the party.  

The journey bags were filled with gummy worms and goldfish crackers.  I picked up the bags at Discount Mugs.  They were very roomy and are able to hold lots of stuff as the kids head off on their journey.



All of that for a two hour party!  



Saturday, March 16, 2013

Lack Thereof

I apologize for the lack of posting.

Here I am in the middle of March and there are hardly any posts.  That makes me a little sad.  I have thoughts swirling around in my head of stuff to write but I need to make the time to sit down and write. I just finished up a week solo while Hubby was away in training for work.  Clover and I kept ourselves occupied but also left time for a late night My Little Pony marathon.

I have grabbed some time here and there to work on the Hobbit Party for our almost five year old Clover.  I have a few things I need to work on but it is all coming together...



I am also working on brainstorming something for a giveaway to celebrate 10,000 views.  I know that's kinda cheesy but I want to celebrate our tiny milestone.  So that's coming up.

Basically I was checking in to let ya'll know that I'm still around.

Friday, March 15, 2013

I'm a Doctor, Jim



Okay, maybe I'm not.  But to an adorable almost five year old, I am.  Or at least that's what she tells me when I patch her up.

Being a normal kid that plays outside she gets banged up sometimes.  Today she scraped her knuckle and came inside screaming that it was "an emergency!"  She then shoved her knuckle in my face.  I dodged it don't worry.  

I'm amazed that I can make her feel better by preforming first aid.  That is what we call it too.  She tells me that she needs first aid on whatever boo-boo she has and we go into the bathroom and wash it out together.  Then we dry it off and apply a band-aid.  The band-aid seems to be what seals the deal because once one of those suckers is on, she is fine.

Not bad for the daughter of a nurse.

I even thought I wanted to be a Nurse.  The thought had popped in my head after my dreams of being  Marine Biologist kind of fizzled.  Actually that dream never really got off the ground.  Although I did write an exceptional essay on the subject in the 8th grade.  Turns out I'm afraid of fish.  Really, I am.  I can't swim in water where I can not see my feet.  It sends me into a panic.  Which is weird to me because I basically grew up on a river.  I think in the end I just really liked dolphins.  Really what 8th grader doesn't?  But I had convinced myself that I could go into an entire occupation based on that love.  So needless to say that didn't work out.  So for about two months I thought I wanted to follow in dear ol Dad's footsteps and be a nurse.  Then I went to an orientation for an occupation school and was told I would have to dissect a pig.  Enter NopeVille here.  Standing there at the nursing booth I couldn't stomach it.  My Dad was pretty honest with me about the down and dirty side of nursing.  Knowing that I couldn't go into that field makes me all that much more appreciative of those who did.  I have been blessed with knowing quiet a few nurses personally and having a few great nurses.  I would rather have someone who loves it take care of me than someone like me who might throw up at the sight of a dissected animal.  

But that doesn't mean I can't rock applying a band aid!

As I sent Clover back outside to wear Granny out she shouted back "Thanks Doc"!  Obviously she thinks I did a pretty darn good job.

  

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The Smallest Smaug Ever

I need to pay more attention to the description box on Amazon.  I love that I can order anything and have it sent to my door but sometimes there just doesn't beat looking at stuff in a store.

Last week I ordered a red dragon to use at Clover's Hobbit Party.

He's only about 5 inches tall.

I am going to hide him around the birthday party but I think I might have to buy more than one because he is so tiny that I don't think anyone will find him.