Mermaid Party

  As if getting back to school last week was not enough, we also threw a birthday party for Ava on saturday.  I knew it was going to be tricky and I had previously vowed to never do it again, but it seemed like the only saturday to do it and so it was.  By sunday that same thought crossed my mind, "I won't do that again."  Haha.  The party went off wonderfully, the food was yum, the people were marvelous as usual, but come sunday my kids were beyond.  Already exhausted from their first week of school, staying up late was not the recipe for success.  Poor Calvin was a mess (in the biggest way) and ended up napping for 3 hours yesterday.  We normally wake him up from naps after one hour if he happens to take on on the weekend, but there was no way I was going in to get him before he was ready!

  I felt so bad for over-extending them, but I also was so happy we got to celebrate Ava.  It was her first real birthday party and she was EXCITED about it!  I thought mermaids were going to be a hard sell over Minnie, but she never changed her mind.  I had a difficult time finding mermaid party ideas that were not Ariel themed, but I did it.  Dusted off most all of the decor from a storage bin in the garage and had a very whimsical mermaid display--no purple or teal in sight!  ;)

  This print is the same mermaid I used for her invites only her invites said Happy Birthday in the banner.  This is from the one and only Rifle Paper Co. and I can't wait to hang this print in her room.  If I couldn't make handmade cards (sending out invites while on vacation is tougher than it sounds), Rifle will always do!

  Found some yogurt star cookies from TJs.  A few dots of cream cheese turn them right into starfish!

    We didn't even end up using this table for our food, but it sure looked pretty.  I sadly didn't get pics of any of the food, but you bet it fit in with the theme.  Poke and fish crackers and chips to snack on.  For dinner we had pesto shells and pearls (mozz balls) for the kids, stuffed shells, or smoked salmon linguine and a caesar salad.  It was all delicious!!

  Bubbles and Fish gummies as a favor.

  Wanted to incorporate the boys into the mermaid theme and had a hard time.  Then I remembered I had a bunch of pirate themed toys from Calvin's 4th birthday party still and so we did another treasure hunt.  This time, the pirate ship sunk and the mermaids were finding the pirate's treasure.  Haha!

    The birthday girl was happy to have her friends over, blow bubbles, and eat "chippys" all party long.  She did not participate in the treasure hunt (aside from collecting bubbles), she didn't do the craft, she just frolicked around and twirled in her favorite dress!

The kids had a choice of making mermaid or pirate clothespin dolls.  Surprisingly, this was a HIT!!!!!  And worth painting all of those faces!

   Chippys!

Me:  Ava, what was your favorite thing about your party?

Ava:  Chippys!

Me:  Really?

Ava:  No, actually, cupcakes and stars!!!!

    This cutie still thinks it's her birthday.  To her credit, we kinda have been celebrating all month.  She got presents in Portland and whenever one was sent, we let her open it.  She kept saying, "it's for my birt-day paw-ty!  It's gonna be a mermaid one and I'm turning sree!"