Home-Partay

The party box

The evening following Laney's beauty shop adventure, we had a home party for her. She and Caleb laid down for a nap and while they were sleeping we put up a few decorations so that she would feel extra special. I had not bought any decorations, save for one fake flower to put on top of her cake. So, while they were napping I got into my party box from the attic to see what we could use. The first thing I saw was this Happy Birthday banner from her very first birthday. Aww for sentimental. I kinda laughed at myself and then got my scissors out and went to cutting. Yep, I cut the 1st out of the banner 3 times and then taped it back up. When it was hung up, you could really not tell that anything had been done to it. Yay for recycling, no?

I had been planning on making Laney a homemade cake. There was one on Pinterest that had all the colors of the rainbow and looked simple enough that I thought she would like. But, while we were at the grocery store Laney spotted the cake area. So, I let her look through the cakes. She found one cake that was a huge sheet cake that she liked, but it was $16.98 so I told her that I was going to make her one. Then, she saw this Paula Dean strawberry glaze bunt cake. And she HAD TO HAVE IT! She is so funny. It surprised me that she would rather have that cake than the one with all the decorations and flowers, but that was what she wanted. Joy for me because at $6 and some change I was all too happy to buy it and get out of trying to make one. I did pick up a flower to set on top of it, though, because I knew it would "fancy" it up a bit and surprise her. Ended up there was quiet a bit of pink tulle in the party box that I was able to use to put under the cake stand, as well as this little Princess party crown. Total money spent on decorations? $2 for that flower. That was it.

Simple, but she loved it...and it was nearly free!

When they got up from their naps, Laney was excited. She loved the decorations and especially the flower on her cake. Her birthday meal consisted of mini-bacon cheeseburgers (her request), french fries, and pickles. (My kids love pickles, yuck!)

Caleb was a little slow to wake up

But the food got him perked up

Back this fall, we decided (read: I decided and begged and pleaded and saved and convinced Ricky) that we wanted a trampoline for the kids. I was able to save up the money and on black Friday went and got one at a great deal. So, we had wanted to save it till really close to spring to give to the kids. So, we got the kids jackets on and told them we had a surprise for both of them. This was to be both of their gifts and they knew it. They were ecstatic! Laney put her hand to her forehead and said, "I been thinking in my mind that we would never have a trampoline!" Caleb doesn't really believe that it could possible fit it the box that it is in, so I am not sure he in convinced that it really is a trampoline.  We are waiting a few more weeks till spring to set it up, and we can't wait. I am looking forward to them enjoying it, an praying that it doesn't blow away in our wild weather we have around here.

Look at Caleb, trying to blow the candles out from across the table. 

 We also gave Laney a smart cycle that I had scored at a yard sale late last fall for $20, complete with 2 games that came with it. I saw these back at Christmas at Toys R Us and they were over $80 brand new. The one we got looks like it is right out of the box and works perfectly. The kids have been riding it like crazy ever since. 

So Laney turned 5. We enjoyed a laid back, non-stressed home party and spent time thinking back over the last 5 years. I'll share a look back over those 5 years with her in another post soon.