the par-tee

here it is....all the details of L&H's birthday bash.
still can't wrap my brain around the fact that i just threw their first birthday par-tee.
really, i can't.
but, i did. and it was great. no, it was perfect. and i am ever so excited to share this with y'all.

i had been going back and forth about having a party.
we didn't know when our moving date was.
was throwing a party {my very FIRST one of any kind} going to be too much stress on this already stressed out girl....{again, think the move}.
so many factors. so little time. so much to do.
if it hadn't of been for katie stopping by that sunday evening...i'm not sure the par-tee would of even happened.
i showed her the blogs, where all the ideas came from {i am ever so thankful for the blogging world...i mean, if it weren't for all the creative minds out in blog land, this would have been one boring par-tee. so, thank-you blog land for being so creative. cause this momma sure isn't. BUT, i can copy like it's nobody's business. hey, they don't put tutorials out there for nothing, right?!?}...she took one look and said, 'we can SO do this.'
and that, my friends was the beginning of the planning.
it was a whirlwind from there.
evites were sent {didn't want to wait any longer to get the word out about the big bash}.
i notified katie over at posh house originals that it was a go.
she hooked me up with her business partner, melissa, who was AH-MA-ZING to work with....if y'all need any party paper goods printed....uhm, look no further!
i started painting, cutting, stapling, gluing and the next thing i knew, it was all coming together.
and i started getting REALLY excited for these girls to show up.
well, all but that blonde.

Frame idea: http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog/2010/08/05/diy-chicken-wire-frame-memory-card-clips/

that blonde is my best friend. she lives in atlanta and had told me she was going camping with her in-laws the weekend of the par-tee. she's one darn good liar. like scary how good. in fact, she even scares herself. she and my husband along with the other par-tee planner, katie were all scheming on the surprise behind my back. and boy oh boy did they pull it off. i had no idea. she nonchalantly opened the front door, {my heart stopped as i thought a burglar was entering my house}, and walked in like no-ones business. i was in shock. i cried. and i think i kept repeating what?! what?! what?! her being there was the icing on the cake. her being there was part of the reason why, in my book, the par-tee was perfect.

the par-tee planners

so, after all the girls {betsy and whitney drove in from tulsa friday night} got here and the shock of sara being.in.my.house sunk in, the final touches began. i needed katie's handwriting, her creative mind, and her scrapbook paper backdrop hung up. this is what friday night looked like.

uhm, yea....you're wondering where sara is, aren't you?!? she's sit'n looking pretty while 'supervising.'

saturday came all too early. there wasn't much sleep for me the night before. my mind was racing 100 miles a minute. but thanks to my gals and mom and larry for coming over at 7:00 for wake up duty, we got er' all done. katie was my list maker; as i rambled remembered all the things that weren't done, she wrote and executed. whitney snuck into the garage to make a last minute sign to direct the guests to the course. betsy helped katie and did a lot in the kitchen as well. sara, she was my personal assistant. she helped me cram 24 balloons into the car. and went with me to pickup the cakes and cupcakes. i'll admit, i was a wee-bit stressed, but in the end...all was taken care of. perfectly, i may add.

the guests started arriving at 11:00am. i had asked my {un}paid photographer, sara, to pick an assistant and be my greeter. they had two jobs. 1) take a picture of all the guests as they arrived {yes, i know this is a birthday party, NOT a wedding. i know.} and 2) hand out the I par-tee'd at L&H's first birthday sticker. they did a fabulous job. these are my beautiful greeters. minus, sara, she's behind the lens.

psh...drinking on the job.

the kiddos played in the sand and went up and down the slide. {the new toys were a hit...thanks riley for sharing with the little boys}. it was so good seeing everyone that came. a lot of people were meeting my loves for the first time. we were sad that a big handful of friends and their kiddos couldn't make it. but are thankful for the ones that could. we played and mingled and then it was lunch time. adam out did himself, yet again with his yummy brisket.

'sand pit' idea {bottom right picture}:  http://site.pinkpeppermintpaper.com/blog/2010/02/22/party-scores-a-hole-in-one/

after the boys ate, we took their shirts off. sang happy birthday. and before i knew what was going on....it was smash cake time. i was on holden's side trying to get him calm. he was finished eating and didn't really understand why he was 1/2 naked and still in the dang highchair. needless to say, i didn't really know what ledger was doing with the whole cake thing {i heard about it afterwards}. as for holden, he touched the cake. touched it again. looked up at me as if he was asking me what is this mommy?! he never put it in his mouth. so i did. i put a small amount in his mouth. and that my friends, is all it took. he had fallen hard for the sweet stuff after just one itsy bitsy taste. as for his brother, i hear, it was love at first taste as well.

cake idea: http://www.birthdaygirlblog.com/2010/11/real-parties-hole-in-one-golfing-party.html

Scrapbook paper backdrop idea: http://www.lifesweetlifeblog.com/2011/03/pretty-in-pink-baby-shower.html

cupcake idea: http://stylishchildrensparties.blogspot.com/2010/09/golf-birthday-party.html

after the smash cake fun. and the clean up {not.so.fun}...we headed out to unwrap ALL the presents. betsy took charge of this while we were on clean up duty. moving the gifts from inside. to outside. and laying down a blanket for us to sit on. have i mentioned that i wouldn't of been able to do this par-tee without these girls?!? the boys got a bazillion of toys. and a bazillion clothes {which we desperately needed}. thank you family and friends for spoiling these boys silly!

we are saving most of the toys for when we move. we need something to look forward too, right?! we did let them play with a few to tide them over until then.

we played. took some more pictures. and then it was nap time. thems were some tired boys. the day was perfect. it really was. perfect weather. perfect food. perfect company. and perfect boys...yes, those sweet boys were angles. no stranger danger. no crying. no fit throwing. just happy super cute {almost} one year olds. we are so thankful for everyone who came. near and far. and we missed those that couldn't make it.

this day will forever be etched in my memory. i am so incredibly thankful for sara, who spent all day capturing these moments, so that i can look back and remember the wonderful day. and so the boys can one day see for themselves what their first birthday looked like. some may say that i went a little crazy with this par-tee. i say i put a lot of love into it. i only get one opportunity to have their first birthday; to celebrate their first year of life. the best year of my life. not only was i blessed double time, but i also survived it. that calls for some crazy big time celebration in my book!

the night was coming upon us. the girls and i transformed ourselves from par-tee mode to party girls.night.out.style. we went to eat and drink a rita {or two} and then kissed adam good-bye {well, i did}. as it was girls only the rest of the evening. we checked our suite out. we approved. and then it was just like old times again. the girls re-untied. a perfect end to a perfect day. these girls mean a lot to me. no, like A LOT. i will leave you with these picture. but, i will be back to talk more about these girls. because i've got so much more to say about them. each one of them. until then....hope you enjoyed looking at, and reading about my loves special day!